


The Sun Will Rise

by JetBlackSunshine



Series: Moonlight [1]
Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Alpha Calum, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Gen, OT4-Friendship - Freeform, Werewolf Ashton, Werewolf Calum, Werewolf Luke, Werewolf Michael, Werewolves, some violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-11
Updated: 2017-08-15
Packaged: 2018-08-14 09:55:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 37
Words: 131,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8009017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JetBlackSunshine/pseuds/JetBlackSunshine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>'It's hard to see the enemy, When you're looking at yourself. Maybe your reflection shows you screaming out for help.' </i><br/> <br/>Luke doesn't expect much from his new school; however it soon becomes apparent that his time spent there isn't going to be like the rest of them. Entangled in a web of family secrets and those of his new classmates working out who to trust and how to survive become more important than ever.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Careful

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! 
> 
> This is just a supernatural/ werewolf AU I've been working on in some form or another for quite a while. I've actually been posting this on Wattpad as What Are You So Scared Of? but decided to change the name of it now I'm posting over here as well. So in both places it is now known as The Sun Will Rise. 
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy it! ^^

_Howls of wind and noise surround me as I step into the forest. The rich earthy smell of the rain that's unrelentingly pouring down right around me; hits my nose with full force. My clothes are soaked, and my shoes squelch awfully beneath my feet as they make contact with the muddy ground. I can't linger on it though. It doesn't matter about the weather, I have to do this. Everything I've come to depend on relies on me now._

_"You're not welcome here." A voice says, echoing over and over in my ears, the words shaking me to my core. My blood runs cold, this wasn't what was supposed to happen. They can't say that already, I haven't even had the chance to open my mouth._

_I start to hear what sounds like something moving from behind me. Cautiously, I spin around to find that I'm in fact surrounded by hundreds of luminescent eyes. They are watching me, yet I can't attach them to anything; human or otherwise. I take a deep breath; I can handle them. For them I have to._

_"I'm like you." I say, my voice pleading. Though they were seeming less and less like me the more I looked at them, "Please, listen to me."_

_"No."_

_Before I can continue my protest, the eyes come towards me, and I'm engulfed in their shadows._

******************************

"Your Luke right, the new student?" The frizzy haired office lady asks as she stares at me from under her horned rim glasses. Her fingers circle the keyboard aimlessly as she waits for my response.

"Sure am." I say with a sigh. Straight away she starts shuffling around the mess of files on the desk. Well here goes nothing. 'New year, new school' had been my motto for my entire schooling life. Today was my first day at yet another new school and I was hopeful that maybe things would work out better this time and perhaps I wouldn't need to move away.

You see my family moves around a lot, so I've never really stayed in a town for more than a year. They did consider home-schooling me at one point but then decided the need for me to have social interaction with people my own age outweighed that. Honestly sometimes I just feel like telling them to give up on that dream, it's hard to make 'long lasting' friendships when your only in a place for a short time.

Sure, I've had loads of friends in all my previous schools, but it's hard to maintain them knowing that in six to twelve months I was probably never going to see any of them again. My phone had been buzzing all weekend with texts from my friends from my last school, but I knew they'd all die down eventually.

At least changing school about once or twice each year, also meant a fresh start. It was always nice to find yourself in a position where nobody had expectations of you to be a certain person. You could be whoever you wanted, the past no longer mattered.

"Welcome to Rosetta Park High, we hope you'll enjoy your time here with us over the next few years." She spoke again this time with a cheery smile as if I'd won an award for being forced to attend here.

My six to twelve months here was more likely the way my parents made us move about. I didn't say that though, maybe this time things would be different; but I doubted it. Despite my protests some years, I'd never been allowed to stay behind at any of the schools I'd been to. In my family, the only one who had was my older brother who stayed behind at the school before last so that he could finish off the last year there. Then he'd moved onto university, so I still didn't see him much.

"Everything seems in order, so Calum here will show you around now." She said, her head turned to something beside me. I followed her gaze to find a guy my age standing beside me, I'd barely noticed his presence until that moment. He had dark brown almost black hair, his eyes staring at me like poison darts. He looked kind of angry at me for some reason. His arms were crossed firmly across his chest. My stomach tightened, he didn't seem like the friendly type. Was this really who they expected to show me around this place? Was everyone here like this?

"This is Luke." She said to him as if I was incapable of introducing myself.

He nods, but the whole time he continues to glare at me as if I had green skin. I really wished he would stop. Whatever, surely everyone here wouldn't be like this.

"Alright, so you're going to show me around now huh?" I ask him.

"Yeah." He mutters, already turning on his heel, "Follow me."

I take one glance back at the office lady who shrugs, almost as if she can't understand why he's being like this. It's not like I'd said anything bad either. Well nobody said I'd have to hang around with him, so if I just made it through this then I could be on my way.

Still I followed him through the various buildings of the school. All of which I was probably going to forget the names of and get lost in anyway. I noticed that this school was a lot smaller than my last one, it had been a private school, so things had been a little different and a lot bigger. It had been the only one of its kind that I'd attended, and I guess it kind of made you forget a little what it was like to go to a regular pubic school.

Except for one or two words about where we were he barely said anything else. It was a massive change to my other schools where if someone had shown me around like this they seemed to want to know everything about me. I wasn't quite sure which I preferred.

"So, uh-did you grow up around here?" I asked, in attempt to make conversation.

He glared at me, as if I'd asked something personal before muttering, "Yes."

Maybe something else then surely, he couldn't be this rude, "What's-"

He stopped and spun around to face me, stopping me in my tracks. He glared at me, before he yelled, his finger pointed at me, "I can see what you're doing you know. I know exactly what you are and if you dare lay one finger on my friends and I-"

I blink at him, slightly startled, who did he think I was? I shake my head, "I don't understand what you're talking about..."

"Yeah right, don't think I can't tell."

"Tell what?" I cross my arms across my chest, and stare back at him, "That I think you've been almost nothing but rude to me all morning."

Calum raises an eyebrow, as he glances at me in surprise, "You honestly don't know what I'm talking about?"

"No."

We stand there for a few more moments, neither of us saying a word. The buzzing of the school bell finally breaks the silence and causes me to jump a little.

Calum's shoulders relax, "Whatever, we better get going to homeroom. You're in the same one as me."

He takes off, remembering that I have no clue where I'm going I follow him. I can't help but feel like a little lost duck as he navigates through the sea of people. All of which probably know where they're going. As I follow, I can't help but wonder why he said what he did. I'd never had someone get so defensive at me like that in such a short time. Why did he hate me so much? It was almost like he thought I was going to hurt him. Considering it made me squirm to hurt a spider, I certainly wasn't going to hurt him or his friends. Besides, why would I want to hurt someone?

As we enter the classroom, I realize that there's only two vacant spots left in the room and they're right next to each other. It seems I can't get rid of this guy yet.

Wordlessly I take the seat beside him as the teacher goes through the roll. I glance around the room, there's some posters on the back wall encouraging students to continue studying maths and posters of old men in black and white photographs. All pretty boring. Calum doesn't talk to me again, until homeroom ends, and he mutters something about my next classroom being the last room at the end of the corridor to my right before getting up and leaving without another glance.

With a sigh, I leave my own seat and join the swarm of people. As I walk into the hallway I notice him stopped out the front of the classroom next to the one we'd just been in. A green haired boy walks out of it, and two of them fall into step with one another. They start to talk, and I see the green haired boy suddenly glance behind at me for a moment, his face showing no sign of why he would be. He turns back to Calum. Who nods at him.

 _They're not looking or talking about you_. I try to tell myself. Honestly, it's hard not to think like that after what had happened this morning when he'd been showing me around. It was like Calum was telling him something about me. Considering we'd only said a few sentences to each other, and a lot of them had been him telling me I had it out for his friends. Ugh, I was being way too paranoid about this, they probably weren't even talking about me.

I try to fall back into the crowd behind them, so that I can't jump to any more conclusions on what they think of me.

Eventually I find the science classroom. Though I have to shield my eyes a little as I walk into find that the walls are painted in a bright sunshine yellow colour. There are black science benches lined up in two neat rows. Each has a tap and sink.

It occurs to me quickly that I'm possibly a few moments too late. The room is already crowded with people and I realise that I have a major problem on my hands. Because the tables in here are nested into groups of four; that means I'm going to have to pick somewhere to sit. In this room, I can't just sit in a spot alone and pretend like there's no one around me.

I hover around the room, scanning it for a group to sit with. Standing here is embarrassing as all hell, but it's better than trying to ask people if you can join their table when they're quite obviously filled. There's four to a desk, and most tables have four already. I glance around at this group of strangers, who was I going to sit with?

The click clack of high heels echoes on the linoleum floor before coming to a stop right behind me. I turn to find that a woman with messy blonde hair tied up in a ponytail is standing there. The teacher, I assume as she's holding a pile of papers. She looks displeased as she stares me down. Suddenly, her face softens, and it turns into a curved smile.

"I haven't seen you before. You must be the new student.... Luke?" I nod, everyone seemed to know who I was around here already. We'll need to assign you to a group...." Her eyes scan around the classroom, she points at something towards the back of it, "I know! That group needs an extra person, how about you go and sit over there, please."

My eyes follow where her finger is pointing, and I realize it's directed towards Calum and two other guys, one of them the boy with green hair. They're sitting at a bench right up in the back corner talking. I freeze up a little, I didn't really want to talk them, especially when I was almost a hundred percent certain that Calum didn't want to have much to do with me.

I don't want to cause a problem though, so I bite my lip and quickly nod back at her. I kind of doubt it but maybe things would work out.

Slowly I walk along the corridor between the benches and over to them. I can't help but notice the other students stare at me as I walk pass. I guess it was just because I was new and a stranger to all of them.

"Uh...the teacher said to join your group." I say, stopping in front of the bench the three guys were sitting at.

They don't answer but instead simply look between each other. As if they're weighing up my question. Now I'm almost certain Calum's said something awful to them about me already. They're about to say no for sure. Maybe I was better just keeping to myself at this school too.

 _You won't be here long,_ I remind myself.

"Yeah, sure of course you can." The light blondish brown-haired boy says, as he idly rolls around his pen on the desk top. He's the one sitting closest to where I'm standing. Calum and the other guy barely look up again, I sigh. I really had messed things up already with them it seemed. I wish I knew what I'd done to upset them already.

Well at least I had somewhere to sit now. Carefully, I take the vacant lab stool beside him. Not making eye contact with them again, I quickly grab out my pens and notebook and arrange them in an orderly fashion on my desk.

"Luke, right? I'm Ashton, this is Michael and I guess you've already met Calum." The guy beside me speaks again, earning glares from the other two guys. It was almost as if they didn't want him speaking to me at all. Just how did this Ashton guy know my name? He couldn't have possibly heard the teacher call me that from way over here. My only guess was that Calum must have told him before I'd gotten here, that was the only explanation. Damn, he must have been talking about me to them then. But why?

I nod, "Yeah, that's me."

Ashton opens his mouth to reply, but the teacher starts up before he can say anything. I sigh as she starts explaining what we'll be doing for the year, Planets, Biology, Chemistry all the usual aspects of science. Mindlessly, I scribble down a few notes as she talks. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice that Ashton keeps looking over at me, there's a hint of sympathy in his gaze. Neither Calum or Michael say a word to me or even seem to acknowledge my presence. It seems I'll be spending science with them though, because the teacher announces that we need to stay in the groups we're sitting in. I'm starting to wonder whether that's a good thing or a bad thing, if these guys aren't going to talk to me all year then maybe it's not the best seating arrangement to be stuck in. Then again, maybe I'll get my wish of being left alone after all.

She starts going on about how we can't slack off. I sigh, why are teachers always like this? We've only been here five minutes and already she has me frustrated. I wasn't exactly a bad student, but I wasn't an excellent one either. Science wasn't exactly a favourite subject of mine, I thought I'd love it with all the cool experiments, but the last few schools I'd been to it had been more about note-taking than the fun stuff.

"With today's lesson, we're going to start looking at a process called Photosynthesis." She says, "Can anyone explain to me what that is?"

All I could remember was it had something to do with plants. I don't want to answer though in case I was wrong. I look around and notice that a few students have raised their hands. She chooses one, a girl down the front with wavy auburn hair.

"Isn't it the process of how pictures develop?" The girl replies.

The teacher shakes her head, "Not quite, Angie."

The remaining students lower their hands; it seems that scared them off a little.

"No, Photosynthesis occurs in plants and other living organisms to utilize the energy from sunlight into chemical energy. That helps the plants to grow and perform processes essential to their survival." The teacher explains before putting up a picture on the projector.

Eventually, the bell rings, and the entire class packs up. The teacher frantically shouts to wait, but it's too late half the class is already barrelling out the door. She sighs, before returning to her desk. I take that as a sign to start packing up myself.

"Come on, hurry up. Let's go." I hear Calum say to the other two boys that are madly packing up their own gear.

"Later Luke." Ashton says, as he follows the other two boys.

"Bye." I nod, Honestly, I was surprised that he'd acknowledged my presence another time. Considering they'd all done a pretty good job of pretending like I wasn't here.

I start to go back to packing my things away, but I can still hear them talking as they head out the room.

"Ashton!" Calum says to him in a harsh whisper, as he pulls the other back towards him, "What did you do that for?"

"I'm being friendly." He shrugs.

"Not to him. You'll get yourself-" I don't hear what he says after that because they're suddenly too far away. I sigh, this sucked. Two out of three of my science group hated me for no apparent reason. What had I possibly done so wrong when he'd showed me around the school? Where was the harm in that?

Still I see Ashton glance behind him. His eyes fall straight on me and then quickly away, as he follows Calum out the door. I sigh, as I pick up my own bag to leave; seems I wasn't going to have a very good first day after all.

 


	2. Not Like It Was Anyone's Fault In The First Place

Things could have honestly gone a lot better today.

Basically, my problem was Calum and his friends. Like some cosmic joke, I encountered them again in pretty much all my classes for the rest of the day. The weirdest had been when I'd ended up having to sit next to that green haired Michael kid in history. Like in science he barely talked to me. Then when we both went to flip the page of the textbook we were sharing, we bumped hands. Pretty normal right, except for that his hand was so warm that it was scorching, and he seemed to jerk back like I had some kind of infectious disease. He'd glanced back up at me uncertainly as if waiting for my reaction before shaking his head and returning to the book.

After that he seemed to keep glancing over at me as if he expected me to do something to him. Why were Calum and him acting like this. Was there something wrong with me? Calum had seemed to suggest so this morning when he said, _'I know what you are.'_

What was I? I couldn't understand what he'd meant. Was there something I didn't know?

It was super frustrating especially when it appeared that we shared a lot of classes together. and the set-up of the room's meant the last seats were generally near one another. It seemed unless I found someone else to sit with, we were going to be in a lot of the same classes.

The late afternoon sun beat down on me as I entered the forest. It was peaceful here, the tall pine trees surrounding me were lush and green. The only noises were birds chirping, and the crunch of the rocks and pebbles beneath my feet. The air smelt faintly of the trees, reminding me of where I used to go when we'd lived further down south that had been surrounded with trees like this.

I soon found myself in a small clearing that I'd discovered by accident a few days ago. It was large enough that you didn't feel enclosed but tiny enough that it felt secluded. This place was almost like being on your own personal island. Though I guess islands aren't really like forests, are they?

It was peaceful here. It was nice to escape from the world back in Rosetta Park that I desperately wanted to get away from. Well not quite escape, I was still in my school uniform and I'd brought my school bag with my homework out here with me. I'd figured that this might just be the most peaceful place to get through some of it.

I hesitated over the bag for a moment, was I best to make a start on the maths homework or start to read the book for English class? After the day I'd had, escaping to a fantasy world might be best, so I pulled out the book. We were supposed to be reading a book called 'The Hunger Games' I sighed, there was nothing wrong with the book itself. However, I'd had to read this book last year in English as well. It wouldn't hurt to read it again I suppose.

I began to read, the story slowly coming back to me as I scoured through the pages. I'd just gotten to part where the main character, Katniss had just volunteered for her sister, when a loud howling noise dragged me straight out of the book. I paused, my senses on high alert. I let the book rest precociously on my lap.

I found the source directly in front of me. Its piercing eyes were directed on me, it's face locked into a growl, exposing sharp pointed teeth. Its fur was a mix of greyish silver which faded into black around the mouth area. I realized with horror that I was face to face with a giant wolf. My chest tightened, the way it was positioned in a low crouch it looked as if it was ready to leap forward and pounce on me. I had no weapons, or anywhere to run and therefore no other option. So slowly I stepped up onto the rock I'd been sitting on. For now, the further distance away I was from its height wise, the better.

"Nice wolf." I say as I keep my eyes on it.

What should I do? Throw something at it? No way, that would probably only make it angrier. Perhaps if I stood here long enough it would give up. Yeah right, if I did that it was sure to attack me by then. I needed to find a way out.

It was obvious by the way it was glaring and now growling at me, it didn't have plans to leave any time soon. Could I try contacting someone? One could hope that I even had reception out here. Slowly, I tried to grab my phone out of my pocket. Keeping one eye on the wolf, and one on my phone. I tried to call the emergency number, my finger resting on the '0' key.

I took my eyes off it to check I'd pressed all the numbers, when I felt something heavy on my chest. I realised I was falling backwards, the air leaving my lungs as sharp talons ripped into my skin. I feel my phone leave my grip. I wince, as my back hits the ground, sending a sharp shooting pain through my entire body. A weight on my chest keeps me pined firmly to the ground. My head starts to swirl and pound. I'm sure I've at least broken something. The worst isn't over though, my eyes train upwards to find that the wolf is upon me. I let out a scream as something pierces and tears at my skin. Sending a jolt of pain surging through my entire body. I'm completely helpless. There's nothing else I can do but let this continue. I can't fight back.

I feel the thing stop clawing at me as suddenly I hear another howl. Oh no, please tell me there isn't more of them. It's called its friends in to help hasn't it? I'm well and truly done for now, I can barely fight against one wolf, let alone who knows how many more. I listen as the howling noises turn into voices.

"Hey you! Out of here! Go!" A loud commanding voice yells. They sound human? So maybe it wasn't more wolves I could hear.

So, who was it talking to the wolf? Please let them be someone here to save me from this? I hear an inhuman whining noise, right beside my ear. Then a growl as the weight moves completely from my body. There's a second growl, then I hear the quick movement of feet crunching. They sound like their moving further away from me. I hope that's a good thing.

"Damn, we should've been here earlier." A voice says, it sounds like the same voice that had yelled out before. Whoever it belonged to, they sounded kind of annoyed.

I try to pull myself up. I try to keep my eyes open long enough to see who it is, but even when I could, everything was incredibly blurry and seemed to morph and change into something else. I felt dizzy and lightheaded. All I could make out at this point was three tallish human shapes standing in front of me. They simply looked like shadows in my vision. Were these people talking about me? If so who exactly were they? I wince as my head pounds again; I simply let myself fall back onto the ground. It's useless, there's nothing I can do but let these people sort it out. I'm powerless to do anything to stop them.

"Well?! You're the one that said not make friends with him," Another yell, they don’t sound much happier.

"Well, I thought he was one of  _them_. You out of all of us, should know the dangers of that." The original voice snaps back.

"Yes, I do but you said-." The other voice says back in a kind of protest.

"I know what I said, alright?!" They yelled back, before their voice quieted dramatically, "I might have been wrong."

"Guys, stop it. We can't just stand here arguing, we have to do something. We still don't know what they did to him." A third voice joins the conversation, they sound much calmer than the other two do.

Someone heaves a deep breath, and then I hear, a voice speak that sounds like the original one, they sound a little frustrated, "Fine, just give me a moment both of you. I'll check to make sure he's okay."

There's silence and then I can hear footsteps crunching against the ground. At the same time one of the shadowy human shapes comes closer towards me. I think they crouch down in front of me. Unfortunately, their face is still blurry and disorientated despite being so close. I see something move and I can soon feel the polyester fabric of my school shirt move on my chest, then my sleeve is pulled up. I wince as I feel something incredibly warm press against it. The warm feeling runs across my skin, like electricity. It's almost as if this someone is tracing across it.

"Hey, can you hear me?" A soft male voice asks.

I want to reply and tell him that I can, but I find myself unable to make any sort of reply. There's a frustrated groan as something scorching warm touches my hand.

"If you can hear me, squeeze back." They request. I'm sure they're trying to help me, so with all my effort I try to fulfil it. My arm screams out in pain and I wince slightly. I feel a returned pressure in my hand as if the unknown other is squeezing back.

"So, how bad is he then?" One of the voices asks.

There's silence and the voice closest to me replies, "Well he's still alive. I think he can hear us, but it looks bad. Deathly even. They did a good job of it, I'll give them that."

Deathly? I think they're talking about me, right? So, I was right, despite my rescuers my life was ended by a wolf.  _Well done, Luke._ I think to myself bitterly, why I didn’t think of this kind of thing happening.

"So, what's the plan, are we just going to leave him here for someone else to find? In fact, maybe we should just take the easy route and call the ambulance?"

 _Whatever you do just please don't leave me, whoever you are._  I think, even though I know they won't hear it. It's terrifying knowing that the wolf could return at any moment when there wasn't much you could do if they came along. Even if the wolf didn't come back it could be days before someone else even finds me. Unless by some miracle my phone had magically landed on the call button then no one but them knew I was out here.

"No way, we can't do that. They've already bitten him." The voice closest to me replies.

"Shit." Someone swears, "So what are you doing now then?"

"Seeing what damage, they've done. If not, there's a good chance he'll die anyway otherwise."

"Personally, I think we should be getting the hell out of here, but if that's what you think is best." A frustrated voice grumbles. I was starting to really hate the person belonging to this voice.

There's silence, and then I feel whoever's nearest to me seem to move closer.

"This might hurt a bit." The closest voice says calmly into my ear. What were they going to do?

Whatever it was, they weren't joking, a few moments later a sharp pain shot once again through my arm. I winced. It felt like something was tearing at my skin again. I thought these voices and figures were human, but perhaps they were a figment of my imagination. Perhaps this was all a coping method. For all I knew, I was still being eaten alive by wolves.

"Why is he doing this? He might still be one of them, then where will we be?" I can hear one of the other voices ask, he sounded mad.

There was a loud sigh, "Yes, that's true. I don't think he is though; he would've fought back if he was. Either that or he's a total idiot."

As they talked in riddles, the pain in my arm decreased, and so did the warm presence.

"Shit, the bite was a lethal one." The voice closest to me, yelled as they seemed to jerk backwards away from me.

"Are you going to-" The calmer of the three voices starts to say.

There's a pause.

"Yes" They reply, "after what happened, he doesn't deserve to die like that,"

"We don't know much about him; I don't think this is a good idea. What if he is in with them after all?"

"It's the risk I'm willing to take."

"If it gets us all killed then I'm blaming you." A voice argues.

There's a loud sigh, and the voice is back in my ear again. "You better not make me regret this, Luke."

He'd said Luke. So, it appeared they knew who I was? It had to be people that knew me, perhaps one of the people I'd met today? I'd met quite a few people around here, so it could be anyone. I hadn't learnt to recognize any voices yet. What was I going to make them regret though? This was all so confusing. My brain hurt, as I tried to figure it out. 

A few moments later, the feeling of being ripped apart returned. I let out a small scream as the pain in my arm intensified this time. It was almost as if someone was pouring hot liquid into my veins. I wanted to scream at these voices to stop it, but it soon faded before I could manage it. My body felt numb almost as if I was disconnected from it. What had these voices done to me? I tried to move my mouth to ask, but I found that it just came out as an odd raspy noise.

I lie in silence a little longer, all I could hear was breathing, and my heart thumping in my chest. My right arm tingled like someone had just put antiseptic cream onto it. That was all it was, I tried to tell myself. Either that or I was incredibly allergic to something. Part of my brain knew that it felt different though. It wasn't like anything I'd experienced before. The entire surface of my skin tingled as though I'd been covered in millions of those popping candy rocks. Each pop made it feel like my skin was burning more with each one. Involuntarily, I let out another small whimper of pain. I wanted to scream but as my mouth opened nothing came out. Just as the pain was becoming almost unbearable it stopped.

I lie there for what could have been anywhere for moments or hours, nothing hurt. I felt empty and numb. I couldn't help but wonder if this was what death felt like? I guess I was about to find out. 


	3. A Light That's Calling Everyone Out

I lay there for a while. Just sitting there in the silent darkness. Slowly things started to come to me, noises; like the soft shuffled rustling of leaves, heavy footsteps, then breathing. I could feel something warm against my back. My eyes flickered open into dim lighting finding a grey cement ceiling above me. My vision was still blurry for a few moments, so I felt around instead, my hands meeting with something flat that still seemed to press downwards as I touched it. It felt like a mattress. I sat up in alarm, noticing that there were tools on one side of the wall scattered across the brickwork. Where was I? What had happened? Then I spotted someone sitting on a dark green beanbag a few meters away watching me. Another two faces peeked up from behind a couch. Hiding behind it like it was a protective barrier.   

The person on the bean bag stood up and stepped into the light, it was Calum, that frustrating boy from school. What was he doing here? He gave no clue as to why. He just glanced at the other two, and they moved out from behind the couch sheepishly as if being forced. I noticed one of the boys had green hair and I knew immediately that it was Michael and Ashton. They looked terrified, but why? 

None of us say anything for a moment. I find myself glaring at them and they simply stare back at me. How could it be that the three guys who had hated me were here now? Where were we and why were they here? 

Then my thoughts flashed back, to the forest, the wolf, the pain that I'd felt. Had they been the ones to find me? Had they somehow made the wolf go away? The last thing I could remember was people taking about a  _them_ and someone saying that I was dying. Did these three have something to do with it, were they the people I'd heard? 

"Uh...hi Luke." Calum says, taking a few hesitant steps towards me. I notice that he's still in his school uniform, then I notice some blood on his hand.  _My blood_. A voice in my head suggests. 

Neither Ashton or Michael say a word. They look quite hesitant to say anything. I see them make a glance at one another before turning their attention back to me. I guess now's my chance to ask.   

"Where are we and where did the wolf go?" I ask, finding my words come out slightly raspy. 

Calum glances back at the other two before nodding, "Well we're at my place. We sort of found you lying there in the bush and brought you back here." He spoke, “I think we managed to scare the wolf away, if we hadn't I guess this all could've been a lot worse."

"Uh...thanks." I say, though something bothered me, "How did you know about the wolf and how did you scare it away?"

An anxious look came across all the boys faces. Sending, alarm bells off in my head. I think something about my question had triggered something in them, but I couldn't be sure what.  

Calum's eyes fell to the ground, "Uh, that one kind of needs a bit of backstory behind it...."

A backstory? What else could there be to that? A wolf attacked me, they saved me shouldn't that be it.  

"I was going to wait, but I guess now you've asked this is the best time." He spoke, "Please promise me that no matter what we tell you tonight it does not leave this room, okay? No matter how terrifying it may be."

That was odd, but they had me curious. I wasn't sure if I would be able to keep my promise, but I find myself nodding anyway.

Calum glances at the others, who nod at him. He takes the space on the mattress beside me. 

"As you know you were attacked by a wolf this afternoon." He pauses, seeming to search my eyes as he says it, "This one was quite different to your average one, it was a werewolf."

Werewolf? What the heck weren't they just something out of myths and legends. Besides, even if they were implying that they were real, didn't they only come out on a full moon. Which didn't make sense considering it wasn't one tonight. Wow, if they believed in that then I guess weird didn't really begin to cover these guys. That could also explain Calum's actions when he showed me around the school, if he thought werewolves existed, what else did he think? Yet I bit my tongue, I was curious to see where this crazy tale of fictional creatures was going now. 

"So, your trying to tell me that I just got attacked by a werewolf? Nice job, play a trick on the new kid and see if he believes us." I reply to him, bluntly, "Anyone could tell you werewolves don't exist."

Calum frowns, and as I glance over at the other two they're frowning too. I begin to feel a little uneasy, they were either good actors; or everything they'd just told me was true. I was still hoping for the first one. 

"I guess he doesn't know after all." I hear Michael mumble. 

Calum shakes his head, seeming to have not heard him, ”It's not like that at all. I wish it were a trick in fact."

I decided to play along, "So what exactly are you guys then? Werewolf hunters?"

"Hell no." Calum growled, like I'd just said something offensive. What could be so bad about asking that. If they'd saved me from a wolf, you'd think they'd be all for werewolf hunters. Obviously not.

"Cal cool it." Michael says, moving forwards and putting his hand on his shoulder and pulling him back towards him and away from me, "He doesn't know about any of this."

Calum frowns, and I see Michael mouth something to him that I can't understand. 

He nods then takes a deep breath, turning back to me, "Quite the opposite actually, we're werewolves, too." 

I couldn't help but stare at them, they were still kidding me, right? How on earth were these three werewolves? It wasn't possible. 

"You can't be." I say, firmly holding my gaze with his. "They don't exist."

Michael shakes his head in frustration, before glancing at Ashton who shrugs. 

Calum nods, his eyes pleading, "I guess that's what it seems like but it's true."

"This is useless, I don't think he believes us." Ashton says quietly to the other two, his arms crossed.    

I'd had enough of this, "Alright, well if your done trying to scare me. I better be going." I say, already pulling myself up from the bed, "Where's my b-"

I pause mid-movement, as the room seems to spin on itself and my head roars in fury. I clutch at my head in the hope that it'll stop, but it's useless. I sit back onto the bed. As the world begins to right itself, I glare at them, "What's wrong with me?"

"You’re still healing." Calum says, "It's amazing you're even awake yet."

I frown, I couldn't get out of here it seemed. I guess I had been pretty badly injured after all. I glance down finding an assortment of scratches and bandages around my arms and legs. None of them had seemed to hurt, so I guess that I hadn't noticed them.  

Calum sighed, "It's important that you try to believe us, Luke. Your life kind of depends on it right now."

I raised an eyebrow, "My life depends on it?"

Calum looked startled, "Uh...that wasn't what I meant to say."

I glared at him, "Calum, what's going on, am I in some kind of danger?"

"Not exactly."

Not exactly?  I glared at him, ready to demand that he tell me what he was about. I noticed Ashton shake his head and I decided to stay quiet. 

"Look maybe it'll make sense if you actually see it first. Then I'll explain."   

Michael bit his lip, his face sceptical, "Are you sure about doing that?" He gestured at himself and Ashton, then at me, “We handled it but I'm not sure about him."

Calum simply glared back at him causing Michael to back down almost straight away. He takes a step back towards Ashton. It was kind of eerie. 

"He needs to see it, if he's going to believe us." He says, firmly.

"Alright, but if he takes it wrong it's not going to end well," Michael says with a shrug.

Calum seems to be ignoring him by that point because he doesn't respond back. He has moved to stand away from me. He glares at Michael and Ashton causing them to back away. His eyes are focused directly on me. Suddenly I get the feeling they’re not joking, not even one little bit. 

Just like that his eyes changed colour, evolving into a bright golden. I blinked, a small gasp escaping from my mouth. It wasn't over yet.  In that single blink there was a now a dark brown furred wolf standing in front of me right where Calum had been. Its yellow eyes were watchful on me, just as his had a few moments ago. 

I either hit my head harder than I thought, or Calum must have turned into a wolf. I had to be imagining all of this. I made a quick glance around, thinking that it was all part of the trick, but Calum was nowhere to be seen and Ashton and Michael glanced at me as if to say, 'Do you see now?' Then I watched in horrified amazement as it formed back into Calum again.

"You--" I mutter. "You are a werewolf."

"We all are." Ashton nods, as if re-affirming what they'd said earlier. 

I blink, so they weren't joking. They had been trying to tell me all along, but it was only just starting to hit me. All three of them could do that? It isn't possible, they can't be wolves it just doesn't make sense. Did that mean that they had something to do with that wolf earlier then? Was one of them that wolf? It was such a terrifying thought.

"Are you saying you’re the ones who attacked me?" I ask, frowning at them. All I could think of was how Calum had seemed to be the one to think that I was going to hurt them and if a wolf had been the thing I saw then there' was every possibility it was one of them. 

"No. It wasn't us." Ashton shook his head quickly before the other two guys could jump in.

The look in his eyes told me he was telling the truth. Yet, if it wasn't them? Then who was it? Say if werewolves were real, and one had just attacked me. That meant that the wolf was human right? If they were then who would have? I'd only been in this town a grand total of about three days, so who would hate me bad enough to do that? The only people I might have suspected that I'd upset were standing in front of me telling me they hadn't been the ones to do it. Somehow, I think I believed them. 

Calum adds, "Personally, I think that it was most likely a lone wolf. Which is basically the term we use for a wolf that has no pack. I'm not sure who though, we haven't seen them around here before."

Ashton and Michael both nod to affirm that. I'm not sure if I understand much of what he said but I half nod to show I was at least listening.

"Then what were you doing there? Why did you save me?" I ask them. They wouldn't be telling me this for no reason, it's not like we were friends or anything. 

"Saving your ass." Michael smiles, earning him a glare from Ashton, who shakes his head and adds. "We were around." 

Calum ignored them both, "Look I'll be blunt and just get straight to the point. We're standing here telling you this because you're going to be like us."

Wait just a second here. Had I heard, that right?

Like us? 

A werewolf?

No. I couldn't possibly be something like that. I felt the world crashing down on me. They didn't say anything else. I stared at them, waiting for someone to yell 'just kidding' but the moment never came. They were serious about this, of all the things they'd said this one scared me the most.

I shake my head, snapping myself out of it, "Alright I get it, you guys are werewolves, but me? No way, you're lying to me on that one."

"I wish we were." Calum says, his tone wistful before becoming serious. He stared me right in the eyes, his still shining with slight flecks of golden yellow, "That wolf wanted you dead, Luke. It gave you a bite that should've killed you. Which it would have.... Except that we found you and were able to make you like us instead."

I thought of Calum only a few moments ago, how many times I’d told them before he'd shifted that it wasn't real. Now I'd seen it with my own eyes and they seemed as dead serious as they had last time. I think they were telling the truth, but I couldn't take this, I didn't want to be able to do what they could do. Yet, I couldn't deny that while I'd been in the woods lying there, something had happened that had made me recover as I did.  Even though I knew the most likely answer, I wasn't quite ready to believe it. 

"No, I can't! I can't be some fictional creature! Why would you do such a thing to me!" I yell at them. 

"We wanted to save you." Ashton said quietly. Michael who stood in front of him nodded. 

I locked eyes with him, our gazes held, he still looked like he genuinely meant it. He looked sad, yet hopeful as if he was just waiting for me to accept all this. Even if they had tried to save me, this was all so crazy, I couldn't be a werewolf.  Even with proof, it was all just too weird.

I took a deep breath, maybe they really had made me like them. I couldn't help but glance at my skin, my arms, stomach and legs were covered in massive scratches, and a set of bites on my arm made obvious by the teeth marks. All proof that something had happened to me. Obviously caused by whatever-  _the werewolf,_  I corrected myself- had attacked me. Still I felt fear rising in my chest, they were weird unnatural things that had done something awful to me. I couldn't help but despise them for it.  

"We didn't do it for no reason, you would've died for sure if I hadn't." Calum said, his eyes on mine, and his expression sympathetic, "Please try to understand us. Hear us out, there's a lot you need to learn and not much time."

"I don't care! I can't!" I yelled as I backed away from him. I was terrified, as the stories of Werewolves I'd read in a book once flashed before me.  They were awful creatures. I'd never want to be one. I couldn't be one. 

The three boys sighed, they looked a little frustrated with me. Which was fair enough on their parts. Yet, I didn't want to believe them. I didn't ask to be saved and turned into some half-wolf creature of the night. I didn't want to be like them at all. I just wanted to be me, Luke. Perfectly human. I didn't care what they had to say, I had to find a way out of here.

 "If you never want to speak to us again, it's fine we totally understand." Calum nods, sympathetically. His eyes turned on me. "I truly wish that there had been enough time in the clearing to ask you about this. We just didn't want you to die Luke. This wasn't a decision I made easily, you've got another shot at life Luke. Please don't be mad at us for giving you that"  

Those words were like a switch. My body seemed to relax, my breathing returning to normal. All my rage disappeared just like that. They weren't the bad guys, they'd done something to save me and here I was being rude about it. Yet, I was still terrified.  I slumped down into the mattress in defeat, and before I knew it tears were welling their way at my eyelids before pouring down my face. I didn't know what to do anymore.

"Gosh, don't cry Luke." I hear someone say. "It's going to be okay, I promise."

I glance up to find the voice belongs to Ashton, who is now kneeling at the other side of me. "I know it's a little scary right now, but it gets better. All of us will help you." He smiles, "I was terrified when I first found out, everything turned out fine though and I'm sure it will for you too."

I nod back at him. I was petrified, I still couldn't understand what any of this meant. Glancing at Calum and his hopeful faces, seemed to relax me a little bit. Maybe Ashton was right, it would get better. I just needed to give them a chance. I rubbed my eyes drying up as much as the tears as I could. 

"Okay, I'll give it a shot." I whispered. 

Ashton looked relieved, his smile growing wider.

"Yeah, I'm also really sorry for how we acted around you today." Calum nods, "It wasn't us." 

Ashton glanced at them, "Yeah, you two were awful. Michael you've got to apologize too."

Michael shrugged, looking disinterested by this point, "Sorry Luke." 

An annoyed look was shot in his direction from Ashton, before he sighed, "I think that's the best you’re going to get out of him tonight."

Tonight? I realised that I had no idea what time it was anymore. How long had I been out for? It had been about four when it all happened but what was it by now.

"Wait, what time is it?" I ask, glancing among the guys. 

"Like nine o'clock?" Michael shrugs. 

My stomach sank, my parents were going to kill me for not being home. I hadn't even phoned them to tell them where I was. They must be worried. I was supposed to tell them if I wasn't going to be home until after seven, and we were already two hours past that. 

"Well I guess I better be going home then. My mum will be wondering where I've got off to."

"You’re in no state to be getting home, you still haven't fully healed...." Calum frowns. I guess he's right, I didn't even make it past the mattress when I tried to stand up before. "Do you want to stay here?"

My immediate thought is no. I wanted to be out of here as soon as possible. Yet I had no idea how to get away from here, I knew I was at Calum's place, but I had no idea where that was. Besides, I didn't feel like being alone right now after what had happened. I'd stayed at plenty of my friends’ places before, and I guess he wasn't going to hurt me. So, I find myself nodding.    

Calum seems to breathe a sigh of relief. "Good, why don't we ring them now then?"

I nod. "Uh, so where's my phone?"

The boys glance at one another. Then Michael turns around and pulls something out from behind the couch.  My phone! 

"You’re probably going to need a new one." Michael said, showing me the cracks in the screen and the casing, "We tried turning it on, but it didn't work."

I tried for myself, sure enough the screen stayed black. I guess it was dead now, it had taken quite the beating I was almost surprised it wasn't worse considering I'd dropped it. 

"That's okay, you can just use the home phone one." Calum says, "You'll have to come with me though, do you think you can stand?"

I wasn't sure after my last attempt, but I decide to give it a shot anyway. Almost immediately a wave of dizziness washes over me, not as severe as last time but it was enough to be an annoyance.  I was glad that I was planning on staying here tonight, I think I would be lucky if I made it to the phone. 

"You alright Luke?" Ashton asks, as he holds his hand out to stop me from falling. 

I quickly nod, trying to be brave about it. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Once I've steadied myself and the room stops spinning, I followed Calum out into the hallway, where he grabs the phone from the wall. 

"I'll do all the talking." He says, "You just need to put in the number."

He handed the phone to me and I dialled the number and passed the phone back over to him. I hear the phone tortuously go through it's procession of beeps and rings before I head a click and a voice asks hello. 

"Hi, uh Luke's mum." He says, "It's Cal one of Luke's friends. Uh...you probably haven't heard of me because we just met today.... but I'm just ringing to see sure if it would be okay if Luke stayed here the night? He's kind of hurt himself a little while he was visiting me, I think he might have sprained his ankle. I'm really sorry we didn't ring sooner, you must have been worried about him."

"No, that's okay. I understand. Should we come over and pick him up?" I hear my mum's voice through the speaker. 

"No, it's okay. My mum's a nurse so, he's better off here tonight. Besides it's late, it's probably best if you aren't on the road."

 "Oh, okay I guess that's fine then. Do you mind if I talk to him?" She asks. 

Calum glances at me, as if to ask whether I wanted to talk to her. I shrug, why not. He hands me the phone. 

"Uh, hi mum." I say into it, feeling slightly nervous all of a sudden.

"Are you okay, honey?" She asks, her voice filled with concern. 

"Yeah I'm fine." I speak back, taking up Calum's story, "I was just being clumsy was all. You don't need to worry."

"You scare me sometimes not answering like that, you should have told me you were going to your friends’ place. If you're okay though that's all that matters. You'd tell me if something bad happened right?" 

"I know what I'm doing mum. I'm practically an adult." I say with a roll of my eyes.   

 "Just be careful Luke. Not everything in this town is what it seems." Her voice warned, sending shivers down my spine. Did she somehow know what had happened today? Nah, I was just imagining it.  

"Alright, well I better get going." I speak back. 

"I love you Luke."

"I love you too mum." I say into the phone as I hit disconnect. As I hand the phone back to Calum I can't help but think about how much I hate lying to her.  

 


	4. Old Scars/ Future Hearts

After I get off the phone from mum, Michael and Ashton both decided it was time to leave. With the others gone, Calum forced me to sit down claiming that all though I was healing I still needed to rest. I really wanted to help but could only sit there as he pulled a mattress out of the garage and dragged it into the lounge room, he disappeared for a moment before returning with a second one. He had just laid it down, when I hear a jingling noise and the sound of a door creaking. I glance at Calum who doesn't seem to be alarmed by it.

"Who's here tonight, Michael or Ashton?" A female voice rings through the corridor, and a few moments later a girl comes around the corner and appears in the doorway on the left side of the room. She looks to be a few years older than us, she has long brown hair that fades into blonde and looks a little bit like Calum, I think they must be related. She glares at me as if I'm an intruder, "Alright this is new, none of the above."

I look over at Calum expectantly. He nods, "Luke, this is my sister Mali." He said as he pointed towards her, "Mali this is Luke."

"Nice to meet you." She smiles courteously before she glances at Calum, "So what do we owe the honour of you having a someone different over here for once?"

"Why do you think?" He asked her, his arms crossed.

Immediately her eyes grew wide, and her brow furrowed, "Cal, you are such an idiot. You better have a good reason for it, what if they find out?" She glares at him, and he doesn't respond. I look uneasily between the two of them, why is his sister reacting like this? She sighs, "Look, whatever, does mum even know?"

"Of course," Calum nods, with a slight shrug. "It's fine, what they don't know isn't going to hurt them."

She lets out a sigh, and shakes her head, "You walk a very fine line. You can't save everyone you know, that right?" Calum seems to flinch, his eyebrows narrow at her, but he doesn't move his mouth. She ignores him and looks at me, "Well not to be rude or anything but I have a ton of work to do. I guess I'll see you around then, Luke."

"Ah, see you." I mutter, slightly relieved that she was leaving from Calum's reaction. She seemed a little intense. She nods at me before walking away, I can still hear her shoes as they click along the floorboards in the corridor. Once she's gone, I look over at Calum, who still looks a little shaken up, "What was that all about? I mean, does she know?" 

Calum sighs, "Yeah, both my mum and sister know about us."

"Wait, so does that mean they're like you as well?"

He shook his head, "Nah, it's just the three of us. Oh, and you now I guess."

It was weird to be included in that. It was true, I was going to be a werewolf sometime soon. I closed my eyes, I just wasn't sure that I was ready for it. Ashton had calmed me down about it after what he had said but I still wasn't sure.

"Sorry." Calum said, I opened my eyes to find him staring at me in concern. "I was starting to forget you only found out about this an hour ago. You weren't wrong in thinking that though, I'm not the first one in the family that's had to deal with this. It's been running in my family for generations, I mean the last one was my Grandfather. So, there hasn't been anyone for a while, we could only find out as much as we know from his journals."

I stared at him for a moment. How would it feel to know that about your family? Living with a curse, that no one has had to deal with in your family for that long a time. How long had he had to deal with this? I guess there was a lot more to this werewolf thing than just people turning into wolves.  

"Then what about Michael and Ashton?" I ask.

"Same as you." Calum said, "They weren't born into it like I was."

I was curious as to how they'd become involved. Had they been attacked by wolves too or had something else happened? I knew it wasn't the right time or thing to ask. There was something else about what Mali had said that bothered me.

"So, who were those people that your sister was talking about?"

"Ah, just the hunters." Calum sighed, almost making it sound like they weren't even a problem. Yet, hunters had come into the conversation before. He'd seemed really upset when I asked then, so I was surprised to see him so relaxed about it now. How many of them were around here? What did they do. He shrugs, "She's just overreacting, they haven't been around here for years. There's nothing to worry about."

I'm about to respond when I can hear creaking on the staircase and quick footsteps along with them. My initial thought is that it must be Mali again. It's a surprise when an older woman pokes her head into the room from the other doorway.

"Oh, he's awake." I hear her say as she looks at me, she steps cautiously into the room. "Hi Luke." 

"Hi," I reply, confused as to how she knows my name, then I remembered that Calum had said that he told his mum about me. This must be her, "Calum's mum, right?"

She nods. "Sure am, are you feeling better now?"

I nod. "Not perfect but a lot."

She looks relieved, "I was so worried when Cal brought you in here, you were a mess. I wasn't sure it was going to work."

I guess I probably had looked bad, judging by the number of bandages that decorated my arms and legs.

"You did a great job mum, thanks." Calum nodded. I remembered what Calum had said to my mum about his being a nurse. I guess that was what he was referring to.

I tugged at the bandage, "You did all this? Thank you."

She smiled, "Not a problem. With a bit of luck, they should be all healed enough to take those off in the morning."

I raised my eyes in surprise, I thought they had just said that I'd been bad. Even a little cut wouldn't heal that fast, "By tomorrow?"

"Enhanced healing." Calum smiles, "It might not be as fast as the rest of us yet but it's usually quicker than normal."

Whoa. I had to admit that was cool. That was at least one positive to all of this.

Before she leaves, Calum's mum ends up asking me if I want something to eat and then she leaves to make us some pasta. She had no sooner left, when I heard a set of footsteps returning. 

It was Calum's mum again, "Hey Luke, what did you say your last name was?"

"Uh...Hemmings." I say, although I couldn't help but think that was a weird thing to come back for.

She frowns and glances at Calum, a warning expression on her face, "You do realise that's a hunter family, right?"

The colour seems to drain out of Calum's face, "Oh, really?"

I look at Calum's mum. I couldn't help but feel slightly confused by their reactions suddenly. "What are you talking about?"

"Maybe I'm wrong but there are certain families that have long history of hunting werewolves, are you sure you don't know anything?"

I quickly shake my head. Of course, I didn't know anything, I didn't even know werewolves existed before tonight. Let alone go around hunting them. I couldn't really see my parents doing it either. 

"Probably not then. They usually teach their children quite young, so I'm sure if your parents had anything to do with it they would've told you by now." She shrugs. "It's just a last name after all."

"Yeah, I guess so." I say quietly, starting to feel a little concerned, why would she ask me about that?

With that she leaves for real this time. I sit there for a moment considering it. Was it possible at all? I couldn't come up with any kind of evidence, I knew that my parent's job made us move around all the time but there were lots of people out there the same.  

"What if you mum's right and it turns out my parents are hunters then?" I ask glancing at him, uncertain. Beside me, Calum still looked a little shaken up and hadn't seemed to say much since his mum had mentioned it. He blinked as if startled by my question. He lets out a sigh.   

"I doubt it, Luke. You heard what she said. Plenty of people have the same last names...." There was something un-convincing about the way he said it though. I frowned, he had been a little odd about it when I asked earlier. I thought about what he'd said to me this morning when I hadn't known about any of this. He'd accused me of going to hurt them, and the main person who would be a hunter. Did that mean he'd thought about this way back then?  

"Was this why you acted the way you did this morning?"

Calum sighed flopping backwards onto the couch, and cutting me a glance, "Well....yeah. I heard your last name and I freaked out a little. I guess I over-reacted, huh?"

I could understand though, if I thought someone was a threat to my entire existence I'd be afraid of them too.

"With everything that happened this afternoon, I kind of forgot about it until mum brought it up again." He shrugged. "What I'm madder at myself for is telling your mum my real name on the phone."  

"Why?" 

"Look it's not important right now." He shakes his head, "As we've said if you didn't know, perhaps they don't either. It's rare for a hunter parent not to train their kid as well."

I thought of what my mum had said on the phone, maybe she was? I just couldn't picture it though, perhaps I was just jumping to conclusions because of what they'd said. It was probably just a coincidence. 

"The only thing I will say is; and please don't take this the wrong way. But try to be careful around your parents in case they are. Some hunters are so blinded by their work, that if they find out they will no longer see you as their child."

That sounded so absurd, but the way Calum said it made it sound like he'd seen it before. That part scared me a little as well though if my parents were hunters then it seemed like I could be in a lot of danger.

"Let's just hope that doesn't happen." I say.

Calum nods, "I hope it doesn't either."

"So why do these people hunt you guys anyway?" I ask. 

"People are afraid of us." Calum frowns, "It's a shame how a couple of idiots out there can ruin it for the rest of us; because of them the hunters think that we're evil unnatural creatures that need to be destroyed. A lot of them jump to conclusions before they know the facts."

I nod. People were always afraid of something different to them, so I guess it made sense. 

Calum and I talk for a little while longer. He ends up telling me about how he used to play soccer but had to stop because it was unfair on the other kids. I tell him about some of the different places that I've lived over the years. Then we talk about music. I can't help but think that maybe we could be friends. 

Eventually his mum returns with a bowl of pasta for both of us and places them on the table before leaving. Calum and I both thank her. I stare at them hungrily, it smells and looks great, the sweat aroma wafting from the table. Calum picks up one of the bowls and passes it to me, that's when I notice a frayed woollen band around his right wrist, a small silver charm dangling from it. When he moves his arm, I realise that it's shaped like a wolf. 

"That's pretty cool." I say, glancing at it.

Calum follows my gaze before a small smile appears on his face, "Oh this? They're just a pack thing."

"What is a pack anyway?" I ask as Calum picks up his own bowl.

"I didn't explain, that did I?" Calum frowns, "A pack is basically your family in our world. You choose to stick with them and look after one another. So, Ashton, Michael and myself are one. If you want your welcome to join us or go out on your own and be a lone wolf."

Lone wolf? I wasn't too sure I liked the sound of that too much. I was slow to make friends usually, but I didn't like to isolate myself either. A lone wolf kind of sounded like I was sentencing myself to complete isolation. The other alternative sounded a lot better. After talking to Calum alone I was starting to feel as though we could be friends. Same went for Ashton. I was still a little unsure about Michael but if Calum was friends with him and they were in a pack then maybe it would be okay. 

Yet, I was still a little worried though, if it turned out my parents were hunters in the end I'd be dragging them into it. Calum had said that the hunters hadn't been here for a long time. I didn't want to change that. 

"Luke you alright?" Calum asked his eyes straight on me. 

"I'm scared that I'd wreck your pack." I say, keeping my eyes downcast, "You know if it turns out my parents are hunters after all."

"It doesn't work like that Luke." I glanced up to find Calum smiling at me, "Even if they were it has nothing to do with that. So, if you want to join our pack, I don't have a problem. Besides, you’re not the first one that's been in this kind of situation We're not going to abandon you, it's my fault you're in this mess." 

"Who else?" I ask, when he was finished. I'd picked up how he'd said I wasn't the first on in this situation. Did it mean that someone else might have had parents who were hunters? 

Calum quickly shakes his head, "Uh...never mind. It doesn't matter."

I shoot him a confused expression but that doesn't seem to make any difference. He ends up focusing on the pasta rather than me. I glance down at the bowl, I didn't realise how hungry I had gotten. I guess I should start to eat it before it goes cold.

As we ate I thought about how there was so much to this that I didn't know yet. I wondered whether I could really handle this. I wasn't going to be alone though, perhaps with the help of the others everything would turn out fine.  Ashton had promised, hadn't he?

 


	5. Half Moon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took me a little bit longer than I planned, but I hope you enjoy it! :)

The next few days passed uneventfully. I returned to school the next day and found that things were completely different between the guys and me.  For starters, Ashton and Calum seemed to have made it their mission to be my friend; they'd been asking me to sit with them in class and at break times. Michael on the other hand still seemed a little distant but I guess that was okay. At least he was talking to me now.... kind of. It was a lot better than it had been on my first day, so perhaps everything would work out okay between us. 

When we weren't at school, I'd been heading out with the three of them into the forest. It had been a few days now and it still amazed me as I watched them turn into wolves. Ashton, was the blondish brown wolf, he seemed to like to stay behind with me as the other two raced around the place before joining in, I guess maybe he didn't want me to feel left out. Michael's fur was sandier in colour and a little darker than Ashton's, he seemed to be the fastest. The moment his paws hit the ground he would take off at full speed. Finally, Calum was the dark brown furred wolf, he was slightly larger than the other two wolves and when Michael wasn't running off; he seemed to stay in front of them. 

On the first afternoon, I'd just resolved to sitting on one of the logs and watching them. Honestly, I figured that there was no way that I could keep up with any of them, the walk out here had worn me out enough. As the days went by I decided to try, feeling an urge to join them and in turn found myself getting closer and closer to matching their pace. I guess it meant that I was closer to being like them, but it was incredible running with the three wolves. They seemed to be glad I was with them, when they shifted back I was showered in praise and amazement for keeping up with them like I had.    

Offsetting it all was that I'd been feeling kind of odd this week. I guess it was to be expected considering what had happened, but it didn't make it any less weird. I'd been hearing strange noises that should've been too far away to hear and there would be sudden bursts of noise almost like if you pulled the plug on your guitar out of the amp. I'd been distracted by everything, sitting in class it was hard not to notice things that were going on outside that you hadn't noticed before like small bugs on trees. The same went for at night where I could stand staring out my window for hours and barely even notice the time pass from how much there was to see. Then there were the weird dreams I'd been having, I couldn't remember much except that I was always running. I don't know whether I was running away or to something it was hard to tell. The guys had been assuring me that these kinds of things were normal, but it didn't change how odd it felt to experience them. 

All of that was nothing compared to how sick I felt waking up on that Saturday. I'd already arranged to meet up with Calum and the others on the fact that he thought I'd shift for the first time on that day. I guess this meant he was right and I was terrified. Despite having watched them the last few days, I still didn't feel ready. How could you prepare yourself for something that you still didn't quite understand?

Pressing through the thrumming pain in my head, I quickly got dressed. Lazily, I put on the nearest pair of jeans and a shirt. I looked in the mirror, nothing looked remarkably different. I looked kind of sick though, my eyes were a bit red and puffy, my skin was kind of pale and sickly looking. Oh well, there wasn't much I could do about it. I shook my head and took off into the corridor.

Straight away, I noticed my mother was sitting on the kitchen bench on her laptop. A wave of nervousness hit me. Hopefully I'd be quiet enough that she wouldn't even notice me leaving. She knew I was going to Calum's tonight, but I was worried if she saw me looking as I did that she would know what was up with me.   

"Luke are you alright? You don't look so good, are you going out?" I hear a voice. 

Oh no, here it comes. Even she'd noticed. Slowly I come to a halt, and spin around to face her. She's looking at me as if expecting an answer. I take a deep breath and try to keep my voice as casual as possible, "It's only hay fever, I'm fine. I'm just off to Cole's place."

If only it was just hay fever, then things would be much easier. Obviously, I couldn't explain that to her, I wasn't ready to tell her about any of this just yet. Neither could I say that Cole really was referring to Calum. I'd decided after what he'd said about his name to pretend like that had been it all along. So, I'd been changing his name all week as well as Michael's, I was kind of scared that I was going to screw up but so far, I'd been doing okay.

"I see." A frown fell over her face as she gave me a slightly puzzled look. I don't think she was too convinced by what I'd said. I was ready for her to start pulling a thermometer out or send me back to bed. If I looked as sick as I felt, then I guess I didn't blame her. She blinked and then waved her hand up and down, “Well go on then."

Phew. I don't think I'd ever been more relieved to hear those words in my life.  

I nod, "See you later."

With that, I pick up my pace and head for the front door before she could change her mind. As I do so, I'm blinded for a moment as the bright beams of light direct into my eyes. Perhaps I should grab some sunglasses. I blink a few times, and my vision returns somewhat normal. Well normal for how it had been these past few days. I guess it was more examples of what Calum had said about werewolves having enhanced healing and hearing. I just hoped the sun wasn't this bright all the time, I wasn't sure I could handle it. If the guys did, it couldn't be that bad all the time could it?

I start to walk onto the street soon falling into a steady rhythm. I knew the way to Calum's place now, after all I'd been there enough times this week. Scarily enough; I was pretty sure I could almost walk there in my sleep. 

As I make it to a street corner, I hear a clomp of feet from behind me, and a few seconds later I notice a human shaped shadow emerge from the same direction I'd heard the noise.   

"Luke you look like shit."

When I turn, I find Michael has joined me on the path. I now knew that he lived a few blocks down from me on one of the corners, it must be close to here. I guess he must be on his way to Calum's as well. 

"I'll take that as a compliment, huh?" I glance at him. I still wasn't so sure he even liked me, so I wasn't too sure what to make of what he'd said. I knew from my mum's comments and that glance in the mirror that I did look kind of off, but why did everyone need to bring it up again?

"Nah, it just means Cal was right." Michael waves his hand, "I guess it is tonight."

I'd kind of figured it already but coming from Michael made it sound completely different. He knew about this. A wave of fear went through me at the thought of it. What would it be like? Could I really do this? 

"Don't make that face Luke, you'll be fine. It only hurts a little." Michael said, as if all of this was no big deal to him. It wasn't him, so it was easy for him to say. 

I raise an eyebrow at him. 

"Alright so maybe not," He says. "but it's not that bad."

I glance at him again. I still don't believe that it couldn't hurt much. I guess he was just trying to make me feel better.

We walk in silence the rest of the way. I guess neither of us is too sure of what to say to one another. This was probably the first time we'd been alone together. Sure, it was just us in history class, but this was different. There was a big difference to when you were in a classroom full of people and kind of get away without talking too much. 

Eventually, we come to Calum's house. It's weird how completely familiar it is to me now. The two-story house with its medium height picket fence. I know that past that it has a path that leads along past it up to the front porch which goes around the entire house.

Michael opens the gate and I follow him up to the path, until we reach the door. I start to slow down to knock but Michael simply turns the door handle and waltzes straight in. I glance at him, Calum knows we're coming but shouldn't we knock? Obviously not. Michael looks back at me as if I'm crazy for standing at the door like I was. What the heck, I guess it was okay. I follow him into the dimly lit hallway. I focus my vision and it's almost as if the light was on.  

"Ah, Luke and Mikey are here." I hear a voice say from the other room, it sounded like Calum. 

"Is he okay?" Someone else asks the moment I start to hear footsteps. A few seconds later Ashton emerges from where I know the living room to be. Concern is written all over his face as his eyes dart to Michael. He seems to relax a little when he sees me. 

"Well no tail or ears yet." Michael said with a grin.

Hmm, what was he talking about? 

Ashton shook his head, "Don't worry Luke, this idiot said the same thing to me when it was me in your position. He's not very original."

Ah of course that's what he meant. I found that quite easy to believe somehow that Michael would re-use his jokes. Michael pulled a face at him. 

"Did he make that joke again?" Calum rolled his eyes, appearing from the other room behind Ashton.

"Hey, it's tradition." Michael grinned, his smile returning.

Calum shook his head, "Well hopefully it's the last time you have to say it."

Michael's smile faded. "Yeah..."

I wonder what that was about, no one else seemed to offer up any explanation to it.

Calum sighed, "So we've got movies, food and everyone's here. Now we've just got to wait until the moon comes up." 

"I guess that's it then." Michael nods. 

"So now we wait?" I ask them. 

Calum nods, "Now we wait."

We end up in the lounge room, I'm starting to feel a little weak now that I'm here and my headache is starting to grow. Calum makes me sit on the couch, as Ashton and Michael disappear. It's just the two of us. As he sits across the room for me I can't help but notice something different about Calum, he usually looks so calm but there's something in his eyes this afternoon. A kind of fear that I hadn't seen before. He keeps glancing at me as if I'm about to run away. Then I remember what he said to me that first night about how sometimes this doesn't all work out, is that what he's worried will happen to me? He'd said I was fine, though hadn't he? Everything was normal and that there was nothing to worry about. I had to believe him. 

Instead I try to distract myself by listening to Michael and Ashton. I can hear them in the kitchen arguing over when to take the popcorn out of the microwave. Michael wins in the end, and eventually the two of them re-emerge with an overflowing bowl of it. 

Someone decides to put on the Avengers and I try to focus on watching it. As the movie starts the pounding in my head grows louder and butterflies begin to fill my stomach. I was kind of nervous about this, everyone was talking so casually but what was going to happen to me when the moon came up?

I tried to remind myself that these three knew what they were doing. They'd have to been through this all themselves and they'd come out of it fine. I'd survive this.  I hoped. 

Michael sits in front of me, he passes me up the popcorn. It tasted good, nice and buttery but not too much. Michael had been right about the time to take out the pop-corn after all, there wasn't too many un-popped kernels or any burnt pieces. 

"Hey, can you pass me the bowl please?" Michael grins up at me, after a little while. I examine his expression for a moment. There was something off, you wouldn't get that excited over popcorn, would you? 

I glance at him suspiciously but hand it over to him anyway. "Ah yeah, sure."

The bowl hadn't even left my hands, when I saw Michael grab a fistful of popcorn and fling it across the room at Calum. Naturally Calum looks startled for a moment, as he tilts his head in our direction, "Hey!" 

"Luke!" Michael yelled, glancing up at me with a fake offended look on his face. "How dare you!"

Ashton grins, grabbing a piece and flicking it at Michael, "Hmmm, that's funny because the only person I saw throwing popcorn was you."

"Nope you must've been seeing things, Ash." Michael shrugs, "I'm completely innocent"

Ashton gives one glance at Calum and in an instant, I see hundreds of tiny white pieces flying, straight for Michael. A few of them hit me as well, considering I'm sitting right behind him on the couch. 

Michael grins at me, "Come on we're not going to let them get away with that are we?"

I can't help but smile as well, who cares who started it, "Of course not."

I grab a handful of popcorn and throw it towards the others. 

"No! Don't help him Luke!" Ashton yells in protest as one of the pieces hits him in the face.

"Help us instead!" Calum yells, grabbing popcorn form the bowl.

Pretty soon there's popcorn everywhere and we're all laughing. Michael sits there for a few moments pulling out the popcorn that litters his hair.

"Who won?" He grinned at us. 

"Well you started it...." Calum frowned. 

"But you also have the most popcorn in your hair." I said, spotting another piece that he'd missed.

"Does it really matter?" Ashton asks. 

Michael bites his lip, "Well no... let’s just say I won then."

The room quickly turns to protest on who's the real winner. Eventually everyone gives up and we put the movie back on and I start to fall back into it.

"Moon up yet?" Ashton asks, suddenly.

"Not quite." Calum looks out the open window. "Soon."

A small jolt of fear goes through me, Calum had said we were waiting for the full moon did that mean it was nearly time?

"What time's it supposed to be coming up anyway?" Michael asks. 

"Seven I thought, it's only six thirty now." Calum shrugs. 

"Not a full moon yet is it?" Michael says looking a little concerned about that more than the moon itself. I wonder why?

Calum shakes his head, "No. Don't you think I would've said something? That's another week and a bit away. This one's just a half moon."

"Right." Michael nods. "I didn't think of that." 

I wonder why the full moon could be so special, but I decide not to ask. Let's just get through tonight first. One moon at a time.  

"You holding up alright?" Ashton asks, turning back to look at me. 

I nod, and everyone seems to forget about it again. Until seven o'clock where they seem to spring into action. Calum's head jolts up and he glances at me, "Come on we're going outside, mum would kill me if we broke anything in here."

Broke anything? What is he suggesting? I honestly don't think I'm ready for this. I quickly shake my head, trying to forget about being afraid.

"Luke?" I barely hear someone ask. 

Calum had said that wolves chose to be bad, it wasn't something that came along with this. 

"Just to be safe. You know how mothers are." Calum sighed, looking at me with a slight eye-roll.

 I did understand though, I’d had some friends over when I was younger, and my mum had spent half the day moving furniture and anything expensive like her artefacts out of four eight-year-old boys reach. I couldn't help but wonder what those items had really been, some of them had seemed so strange, feathered arrows, clay masks and vases. Now they just made me think of them as hunters even though I still wasn't even sure that they were. I was probably just being paranoid after what Calum's mum said. Yet it still worried me that there were indeed hunters with my last name out there. I had to accept this, there wasn't anything I could do about this anymore. No matter about my parents, I'd chosen my side. 

I try to stand up but find it almost impossible. It seems my body doesn't want to co-operate with me. I flop back onto the couch. I hope this is what's supposed to happen or I'm starting to think that I might be in for a lot of trouble.

"Um, help?" I say as I look up at them. 

Ashton looks confused, but Michael and Calum exchange almost knowing glances. My stomach sinks, please tell me they know what's wrong with me.

"We should've got you to move earlier." Michael turns his head back to frown at me, he takes a few steps forward. "Ashton get over here and help me."

Ashton quickly nods, and following Michael's orders, stands on the other side of me. Michael takes the other. I put my arms around their shoulders and they both pull me up with ease. I notice straight away that they don't seem as warm to me as they had the other day. It was odd.

"Thanks," I say, as we start to move, me feet only able to move slightly, "Sorry about all of this."

Michael shakes his head, "Nah, as I said we should've made you move earlier."

Calum nods, "Anyway hurry up, we need to be outside. I don't think there's much time left." 

Ashton and Michael help me to walk forwards and Calum takes the lead, opening the sliding door onto the front porch that circled the house. We follow him, down the stairs and onto the grass. There seems to be an unspoken word between them, but I decide not to ask any questions. They appear to know what they're doing, so I decide to just let them. 

Conveniently Calum's house backs onto the forest, he simply opens the wooden gate at the end of the garden and lets us through. So, it doesn't take long for us to get out there. I guess, I made the right choice coming over here. His place was the most suited for this kind of thing.

We come to a stop just on the border of the trees and houses. For a few moments we just stand there, Michael and Ashton supporting my weight. There's a nervous tension in the air for a few moments, the sound of breathing and a cricket or two. Then I notice a hint of a white light emerging just over the canopy of the trees to the east. My eyes are instantly drawn to it, like the way a moth would be. The light hits Michael first, and I notice him glance in my direction. The light creeps slowly over the right side of my face. My body seems to buzz with a strange kind of electricity before my whole body seems to explode. Bones feel like their breaking and my stomach twists. It hurts but in the same sense it feels amazing. I barely notice, Ashton and Michael back away as a howl escapes my mouth. 


	6. Trees

The moon felt like it was ripping through me after I'd let out that howl. The only thing connecting me to reality was Calum; he stood in front of me with his teeth gritted and eyes flushed with golden. I could feel Ashton and Michael still were holding me up, their slightly warmer hands a reminder of their presence. At some point, they released because I feel the rush of wind through my ears as my body falls forwards on itself. A few seconds and I felt the cool, spikiness of the grass beneath me. I attempt to hold my body up as it shakes with every breath. I clawed into the grass. I felt as if I was going to be sick, but my body wouldn't let me. Instead, I let out another howl. A few howls echoed after it, none of them mine.

My head swirled, as I race forward involuntarily. A blur of green foliage surrounds, engulfing me. Indescribable noises raced through the wind as energy surged through me. My whole body felt like it was on fire. Echoes filled my mind but were distant. Detached.

Nothing could stop me.

_'Luke, stop!'_

Everything became focused at those words. My thoughts returned to reality. A deep rhythm echoed in the rise and fall of my chest. I was surrounded by greenery and a strange sense of oddness. Something was wrong here. I sucked in a deep breath as I tried to remember.

It took me a few moments to realise that I was no longer where I had started. A quick glance suggested that Calum's place was nowhere in sight. I was alone. The thickets of trees moving backwards and forwards in the breeze the only sign of life.

It was in that moment that panic started to set in, where was I? What had happened? Why was I alone out here? My breathing thickened as I tried to remember the way I'd come but my memories came up a blank. I was hopelessly lost.

Then I heard footsteps.

I froze, a sense of nervousness striking my gut. Should I keep running? I felt exposed standing here like this. My heart started thumping louder in my ears. I closed my eyes willing myself to calm down. I told myself that perhaps those footsteps belonged to someone who could help.

Slowly, I turned.

There were three wolves bounding into the clearing behind me. They began to slow and move around in front of me, carefully as if I was a bomb that was about to go off. Feeling threatened I took a step backwards, and the wolves seeming to recognize this stopped moving. I could see them better now the way their fur reflected under the moonlight giving a whitish sheen to it.

It was only then that I realised they weren't strangers or even real wolves. It was different seeing them all here in the dark, but I recognized each of them. Michael, Calum and Ashton.

Then I remembered why I'd come outside in the first place. Did all this mean that I'd finally shifted? -

 _'I almost thought you couldn't hear me.'_ Calum said.

He didn't say it because his mouth hadn't moved an inch. I tilted my head as if it might help. How had he done that? Was there some way that he could speak to me without words but how? Then I thought about that voice that I'd heard that had seemed to bring me back. It had been his for sure. I didn't think wolves could talk though? Yet, he had seemingly thought both of those over to me. Was I going crazy or was this just a werewolf thing?

 _'We can talk telepathically like this. It's simple; just think something strongly out to the rest of the group or one person and we should hear it.'_ Calum continued, answering my question before I could ask it.

Wow, so we could talk to each other like that? That was incredible, I couldn't wait to try it out. When I was younger my friends and I would dream up ways of communicating with each other without words. Obviously, we'd never had much luck with it, remembering a bunch of hand signals or dotted code was difficult.

Thinking of what I wanted to say, I imagine pushing my thoughts onto the others.

 _'Is this the part where I'm supposed to make some kind of bad joke?'_ I think out to them.

 _'If you want.'_ Calum replied almost immediately with a slight laugh.  _'but hey, you've got it already.'_

A swell of pride rose in my chest. I could do it, this was so cool.

 _'We decided we should leave it as a surprise for your first shift. So, surprise?'_ Ashton says.

 _'Just try not to use it all the time, we try to leave it for emergencies or when necessary unless in wolf form. It's harder whilst we're human.'_ Michael adds.

I was barely listening anymore. Human form, wolf form. I processed it. I had to be a wolf, now didn't I?

I looked down, sure enough light blonde paws. I really was a wolf. Shit. This was unbelievable. Seeing the guys as wolves was one thing but being one myself was weird. It had felt so natural until I'd thought of that. I suddenly felt a little self-conscious. Had I done everything right or in those hidden moments had I become the creature I feared? I didn't think so.

I glanced around the forest, everything was so much clearer. Even more so than it had been this week. When I focused, I could see the details of all the leaves on all the trees even in the darkness. I'd noticed them before but now I realized how much better I could see. Not only could I communicate with the others, but this as well. Calum hadn't been lying when he said there were a lot of awesome abilities that werewolves had. I couldn't wait to try them all out.

 _'How did I end up all the way out here then?'_ I ask them in the hope that they'd could fill me in on those few foggy moments. No matter how hard I tried, I could barely remember leaving them.

 _'You ran off.'_ Michael says quickly.

I ran off? Why on earth did I do that, they were only trying to help me. I couldn't remember making any decision to come here, my thoughts after the moon came up were a total blur. I think perhaps I would've kept going had Calum not called out to me like he had. What else had happened that I didn't know about? Had the rest of them done this when they first shifted?

 _'Don't worry Luke. It has nothing to do with you it's just that your body catching up, your wolf side takes over for a bit on your first shift. We've all done it too.'_ Calum says to re-assure me.

Through the bond I hear a small chuckle, Michael I think,  _'I ran half a mile. Apparently, Calum could barely keep up with me.'_

I could totally picture it, them both as wolves; Calum furiously barrelling after Michael through the trees. Michael usually was the fastest of the three of them after all. So, it did make sense.

 _'I think Luke was pretty close though,'_ Calum nodded,  _'You might have a rival for fastest Mikey.'_

The wolf opened its mouth slightly as if it was surprised, there was a slight cough and the wolf held its head up slightly higher, puffing out its chest,  _'I'm sure I would've caught him right away if it weren't for the fact he had a head-start while we were still shifting.'_

Head-start? Of course,  _'What was that anyway? You all looked as though you were in pain yourselves.'_

_'It’s hard to explain, the shift kind of goes through us all when someone new joins the pack.' Michael said, settling down to his normal height._

Calum nods,  _'We're not sure why, but it’s happened all three times.'_

_'Ah I see.'_

I guess that was the other reason that everyone was here. Otherwise something bad could've happened if they were in wrong place and shifted. If they were trying to keep this a secret from the rest of the town then by being somewhere public would be the worst way to do it.

 _'Anyway, I guess this means, welcome to the pack.'_ Michael says.

 _'Yeah, you did decide you were going to stay in the pack with us, right?'_ Ashton asks eagerly as he rocks gently on his feet.

I nod. I wasn't about to try and be a lone wolf, these three were doing their best to help me and after tonight I felt like I was making the right choice. They hadn't abandoned me, and that was the main thing. I didn't want to have to learn everything myself when these three were willing to teach me.

 _'So, there's a few other things you should know if you're going to run with us,'_ Michael says, before raising a paw towards Calum,  _'Calum's Alpha, which pretty much makes him like our leader. So, you have to listen to him.'_

Ashton nods,  _'Besides he was the first to become a wolf. So, we don't mind all that much.'_

 _'It's not really like that you know.'_ Calum sighs, shooting an unimpressed towards the other two wolves.

So, Calum was an Alpha, huh? I guess I'd already noticed that he had some power amongst the three of them. Calum usually lead the way when they ran, they seemed to look for him to answer questions. It made sense.

 _'Well we've got to listen to you.'_ Michael teases,  _'You can make us do things after all.'_

 _'Wait....what does Michael mean by make us?'_  I think out, focusing my thoughts mainly on Calum. I wasn't too sure I liked the sound of that.

 _'Yeah...I don't like to do it. Sometimes I can't help it. It's an Alpha thing.'_ Calum says his head slightly lowered. He even looked a little embarrassed, I guess if he could do it he didn't like to.

I thought about how his words to stop had been the only thing that had snapped me out of whatever had possessed me to run. It was kind of terrifying knowing someone had that kind of power over you, but I decided it was best not to make too much of a fuss. I trusted Calum enough by now to believe him.

 _'So, if you hadn't told me to stop, what would've happened?'_  I ask.

 _'You would've probably kept running until your senses came back to you on their own.'_ Calum replies.

How long would've that have taken? I hoped that didn't happen all the time.

 _'Anyway, I don't think there's much else you need to worry about for now. We don't want to overwhelm you when here's plenty of time to learn. I think for now it's really just that I'm Alpha and how we can communicate with one another."_ Calum says.  _'That fine with you, Luke?'_

There was more? I wonder what other things I needed to know? Everyone had been saying all week that there was a lot. I guess I was going to have to be patient and learn things as they came.

 _'Yeah'_ I nod.

 _'Alright, let's head back to the house.'_ Calum declares,

_'Yeah, let's. It's party time.'_

_'A party?'_  I raised an eyebrow.

 _'Well to celebrate the newest member of our pack of course.'_ Michael grins.

I wasn't about to argue with that. Ashton stays beside me, as we race behind Michael and Calum back to what I'd assume will be the house. I have no idea, everything looks the same to me I can't help but think we're just running around in a circle.

 _'We'll go the rest of the way on foot.'_ Calum's voice comes to me. I'm confused for a moment we're still out in the bush, aren't we? I can't see any sign of civilization anywhere. Calum must know where we are though.

In a blink around me, the other three are all human again. I start to panic, how the heck do I do that? Maybe I need to just think it, uh.... turn back now. I think to myself. Come on. I let out a frustrated whine, which causes the others to look back at me.

 _'Guys, how do I turn back?'_ I ask. Hoping I don't have to stay like this for longer. Not that it's a bad thing, but it's kind of awkward when you’re the only one.

Calum frowns as he looks down at me, "Oh yeah to shift back, you just need to focus on it really hard. Just imagine it. It might take you a few goes, but you'll get the hang of it eventually."

Maybe I was doing something right. I still couldn't see how what I was doing was much different to what he'd said. If it did take a few tries that might explain why it wouldn't work. I closed my eyes concentrating on it for a moment. I felt a slight tug in my chest as a bolt of pain rushed through my body.

"Hey, you did it."

I opened my eyes, spotting hands, I was human again. I glanced back up at the others who looked a mixture of relieved and excited. I couldn't help but smile, I guess I'd done okay.

"Come on, last one to the house gets last dibs on the cake." Michael grinned, already racing off ahead. I guess I didn't have much time to think about it. Besides, there was cake.

I took after him, just as Calum and Ashton did.

He was fast, but soon I found myself clipping on his heels. Michael glanced back at me in surprise and I couldn't help but grin. I was sure by now it wasn't too often Michael had competition. He didn't seem too bothered by it though, he smiled back at me and seemed to pick up his pace a little.

We ran a little further and I could spot the houses that backed onto the forest. A bright glow emitted from one of the backyards. The strong scent of smoke hit me. I slowed down. I looked at the others uncertainly, but no one else seemed to be reacting to it like I was.

Michael pulled open the wooden gate that I assumed was Calum's place, and we followed him into the backyard. It was different now, there was a large bon-fire set up on one side of the garden. Of course, why didn't I think of that.

Calum's sister was throwing a bunch of logs onto it. I didn't think she'd been home when I'd been in here before. Behind her I could see a table set up with bowls of food and a few bottles of fizzy drink.

"All done?" She asked.

Michael nodded, with a glance back at me.

"Thanks, Mali." Calum grinned, coming out from the gate behind us with Ashton.

"Not a problem." Calum's sister smiled, approaching the table of food and grabbing one of the bottles from it, "I'm just going to steal some of your drink though."

"Oi! Get your own!" He yelled at her.

"Mum said we had to share." She grinned, as she continued to pour the bottle of fizzy drink into her own cup. "Besides I set up the fire, so I think you owe me."

Calum glowered at her but let her continue. I guess even an Alpha couldn't argue with his mother on that one.

"By the way, well done Luke." She nodded, before continuing out the backyard, drink in hand.

"Uh...thanks."

It felt weird everyone congratulating me, like this was a special achievement or prize. I guess in their world it was. It was a gift; most people would never get to experience what I had tonight. It was a horrible thought but technically I should be dead right now, so this had to be a lot better.

Someone puts on some music and we start to share out the food. As we eat I sit there watching the fire, as the flames leap from the logs beneath them small flickers of embers dance from out of it.

"So are we going to give it to him now or wait till later...." Ashton says.

"Yes, the thing!" Michael nods at Ashton.

"What thing?" I glance at them, starting to feel a little nervous.

Calum's eyes widen, "I almost forgot. I'll be back."

With that he races back into the house. I try to prompt Michael and Ashton about what it might be, but neither of them seems to budge. What could it be? Calum returns a few moments later, holding an object in his left hand. He holds the object up into the light and I realise that it's a wool string bracelet with a small silver charm on it. As it shone in the light I noticed that it was shaped like a wolf. Identical almost to the one that I'd seen Calum wearing. I could still see the one on his wrist though. He handed it to me. I glanced up at him.

"We know jewellery’s kind of girly but it kind of keeps us together." Calum smiled as he tapped to the similar bracelet on his wrist. I made a quick glance noticing Ashton and Michael both wore a similar one as well. I hadn't noticed they had them too. Of course, Calum had said it was a pack thing, so I guess now that I was, I got one too.

"Thanks guys." I say.

"Come on, put it on Luke." Ashton suggests.

Alright then. I attempted to pull it on my wrist, but it seemed like it was too small. I examined it again, there seemed to be a double layer of wool. So how the heck did you put on this thing? It was like a complicated system of ropes. I tried looping it through one way and then the other, but all it seemed to do was mess it up worse.

"Calum, help the poor kid out. He has no idea what he's doing." Michael grins jokingly.

Calum quickly fixed up the mess I'd made and slipped it onto my wrist like it was nothing. I held it up into the moonlight admiring it for a moment as the light glittered onto it. I couldn't help but feel how special it was. I was part of their pack now.

Calum smiles, "Welcome to the pack Luke."


	7. For A Pessimist I'm Pretty Optimistic

Sunlight streams onto my face the next morning. I wince a little and shut my eyes tighter to pretend it isn't. I want to sleep a little bit longer, but my body doesn't want to agree with that. After a while I pull myself up into a seated position as my eyes fall onto the sleeping bags surrounding me. Michael lies still asleep beside me sprawled out on his back. Ashton and Calum both teeter on the edges of their sleeping bags. I'm sure if they move much further they'll fall into one another. 

I sigh, it seems no one else is awake yet.

I focus my hearing listening for any other source of noise from the house, but find none except the early morning noises of the birds outside. I'm the only one awake. I stretch my arms out, taking a deep breath. In turn I get a brief scent of the acidic burning smell that still lingers in the air from the fire from last night.... 

Last night, finally making my first shift into a wolf certainly hadn't been a dream. One glance at my wrist at the wolf charm another reminder of that. For all the stories, and all the fear that I'd built up over these past days maybe it hadn't been so bad after all. It felt like a blur, tinged with unreality. Yet I knew that it had happened. I guess I wasn't human anymore.

I look up at the clock ticking away on the wall, it's still early and I feel awkward sitting here waiting for everyone to wake up. I decide to lay back under the covers and try to force myself back to sleep, again. It seems futile though as my mind starts to wander onto anything but sleep.

"Hey, is he awake?"

"Nah, don't think so."

My brain snaps back to the present. I can hear voices. Does that mean the others are awake? Sleepily, I open my eyes finding Calum and Michael sitting on the floor together on the other side of the room. Neither of them were paying any attention to me. I wonder who they were talking about? Ashton maybe?

"Cal, I've been doing some investigating, his parents are really hunters or at least have ties to them."

I freeze. What did Michael just say? So maybe they were talking about me?

"Oh no. They can't be. I really hoped it wasn't true." Calum frowned.

"It appears so, everything I've found seems to suggest that they are." Michael frowned, "They must've been assigned here. Besides, Luke says he moves around a lot, it makes sense."

No. First Calum's mum and now Michael. I wasn't sure if I could handle everyone thinking my parents might be hunters. You'd think I'd know about this kind of stuff if it was going on in my own house, but he was right we had moved around a lot. Plus, the last names lined up. It was starting to seem a little more than a coincidence.

No, it was a coincidence. It had to be.

"I wonder why they never told him then? It seems odd, I thought they trained their kids from the time they could pick up a sword." Calum sighed.

"Usually, that's what's so strange about it."

"If they are, do you think they're here for us?" Ashton asks, joining the conversation as he steps over me to sit across from them slightly blocking my view.

"I hope not." Calum frowned, "For all we know they're just here for the lone wolf that attacked Luke. We're probably the least of their problems."

"Possible. I mean if they were worried about that incident, you think they would've come by now." Michael adds with a glance at Calum, "They've had long enough."

Calum frowns and a confused expression crosses Ashton's face. It's subtle but I notice Calum's hand trembling as he focuses straight ahead almost looking through Michael. He looks as if he's about to cry.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to bring that up." Michael frowned.

Calum shakes his head, his hands steadying, "No, it's okay. We just haven't talked about it for a while."

"Uh did you guys do something that I don't know about?" Ashton looks at them.

Michael and Calum quickly shake their heads, "No."

They glance at each other, "It's just complicated."

"You want to explain?" Ashton asks.

No response. So, there was something they weren't even letting onto Ashton about. That was odd, I'd started to think these three knew everything about one another. Perhaps I was wrong.

"If they are, it's weird for them to be here so quickly though." Calum frowned, changing the topic back, "I didn't sense the wolf before that day and there haven't been any other werewolves around for months. If his parents are and Luke started that day at school, the wolf had to be around before then."

Michael nods, seeming to think about what Calum had just said.

"Why are you guys talking about this now anyway, Luke's right here. We don't want to frighten him into thinking his in more danger than he is. It might not even end up being a problem, that wolf could be long gone by now." Ashton says.

"If he hears this it doesn't matter." Calum shakes his head, "We're going to have to talk to him about it at some point. We can help protect him from the lone wolf but he can't run from his family forever."

"Especially when it's highly possible they're hunters. They probably have a wolf detector or something." Ashton mumbles.

"Ugh, don't even joke about that, Ash. Can you imagine how many hunters would find us if they had one of those!" Michael yells.

"Well at least I don't think he's going to sell us out to them if they are." Ashton says.

"We still need to be careful. What if he did tell his parents or he's been a hunter this whole time. For all we know, this could all turn out to be some plot of the hunters so we trust him and he just turns out to be one of them." Michael protests.

Even after what they'd both said Michael still thought I was a hunter? Maybe that was the reason he didn't seem to trust me as much as the other two. I was a bit mad that he thought I was part of some plot against them, but then again it's not exactly like I'd been here long enough yet to gain his trust. With that kind of information floating around I wouldn't trust me either.

"You do have a point, but I honestly don't think he is." Calum replies, sucking in a deep breath, "I mean be realistic Mikey, no hunter would willingly let their child become like us. Not even for some crazy plan."

"Well yeah....so maybe he isn't. I was just guessing." Michael shrugged.

Calum sighs, "Look no matter what we find out we still have to keep an eye out for Luke. If his parents are hunters, then they can be ruthless over this kind of thing. If they find out it scares me what could happen to him, what could happen to all of us if they are."

"Well we're not going to let them find out, are we?" Ashton says.

"Yeah right." Michael says with an eye roll, "They're going to find out eventually if they are. It's inevitable."

"You know what I mean Michael. I'm sure we can keep it a secret long enough, that if they do find out we'll have a better plan to deal with it." Ashton says.

"This is his family Ash." Michael protests. "There's the possibility that they'll notice straight away."

"I honestly think he can handle himself, he's already aware of the fact that he needs to keep this hidden from his parents so that doesn't happen." Calum sighs.

"If they found out though, which they will. Imagine what they'll do to him." Michael continues.

"They won't." Calum replies.

Michael groans, "You remember what happened with me, right?"

"Yes, I do...." Calum sighs, "but things are different this time. He's not as involved as you were."

"I know, but still. I don't want to see him get hurt like I did." Michael frowns, "Don't get me wrong; I'm glad we decided to save him though, he's a good guy." Michael continues. That was the nicest thing he'd said about me, perhaps he didn't hate me as much as I thought.

"And you were the most worried of us all!" Calum replies.

"Hey, I thought you were turning a hunter into one of us!" Michael protests.

Wait, Michael had been speculating even back then. I guess Calum had too at school that morning when he'd said I was going to hurt them. Sure, Calum had confirmed it that first night but it seemed his mother wasn't the only one that had been concerned.

"And you weren't worried, Cal?" Ashton asks.

"Of course I was." Calum nods, "Yet, there's something about him that wouldn't let me walk away. It was the same feeling I had with you guys. Gosh that sounds so dumb-"

"Not really, I know what you mean. We had to at least try to save him." Ashton agrees.

"I was worried he was going to turn out to be a hunter but I kind of thought so too." Michael nods, "His parents might be, but he's definitely not a hunter that's for sure."

I decided now would be an okay time to wake up. When I opened my eyes, I notice an alarmed look cross their faces. Which immediately replaced with grins, the way parents sometimes did around small children after they'd been having a serious conversation. Just I was the one in the position of the small child. They had been talking about me, after all. 

"Morning Luke." Michael smiled, showing none of the attitude he'd had in their conversation.

"Feeling better?" Calum asks.

"For sure." I nod. Then, I heard my stomach rumble. Geez, I was hungry. I suppose all I'd eaten in the last few hours were some bits of popcorn and bits and pieces of party food. 

"So uh...whats for breakfast?" I ask.

"We have waffles and pancakes!" Michael grinned.

"Awesome!" I grin, doing my best to share their enthusiasm.

"We're going to make them ourselves. Have you made them before Luke?"

"Uh...out of a packet? Does that count?"

"Kind of, but we're going to make them from scratch today."

The four of us are assigned jobs and head for the kitchen. Ashton and I oversee the pancakes whilst Michael and Calum make the waffles.

"We were thinking of going for a bit of a run after this, what do you say, Luke?" Ashton asks as we wait for the pancakes to cook.

Did he mean as wolves because that's exactly what it sounded like? I was feeling a little nervous about going through any of that again, the part where I'd shifted was a pain filled blur to me. 

"If it's fine with you of course." Ashton prompts looking a little unsure. "If you’re not comfortable..."

I nod, pretending to be brave, "It is, I want to try again."

Half an hour later with breakfast eaten the four of us stood in the thickens of the forest. Within seconds Michael and Ashton are already wolves. Michael starts running around us impatiently. I couldn't help but feel nervous about doing this again. Last time I'd been able to do it without thinking. What if I couldn't do it again?

Calum gives me a sideward glance as he stands beside me, "Just focus, exactly like you did last night to shift back but the other way around."

Well I'd been able to do that, hadn't I? So, it couldn't be too hard to do it the other way. I closed my eyes, thinking of being wolf, the way it had felt last night. A few moments later I could feel poison seeping into my mouth, my body felt as though it was convulsing. I was going to be sick. Then it faded, I opened my eyes, everything clear. Calum standing there right in front of me also as a wolf.

 _'Is it supposed to make you feel so sick?'_ I ask.

 _'It's normal the first few times, it'll get easier the more you practice.'_ Calum says.

 _'Yeah it'll be as simple as breathing before you know it.'_ Michael agrees.

I honestly hoped so, or I would never want to shift into a wolf ever again. It was much too painful.

I saw Calum nod and Michael quickly took off ahead of us. Calum followed after him. I glanced at Ashton who remained as he gave me a small nod. I nodded back and the two of us started to run at the same time. I spent my first few steps just getting used to the sensation, it hadn't seemed much different to me last night but now I was suddenly aware that I was pushing of with four legs rather than two. I felt like a toddler for a little bit, my legs coming slightly off at an angle at odd moments when I moved wrong.  My feet sliding slightly on the dirty ground. Ashton and I soon caught up to Michael and Calum and we fell into a steady rhythm along with them. Part of me wanted to go faster, but then I knew for sure that I'd get lost. 

I thought that I'd get bored of just running out here like this, but there was something almost freeing about being out here with the others. I liked it.

Eventually we come to a stop just outside of a large clearing. Up ahead I can faintly see a row of trees on the far side of it. I hadn't been out here before. I wonder how far out of the town we were now. I'd already knew before I'd moved here that the bush outside Rosetta Park went a fair way beyond the town boundaries.  

 _'I say we have a race.'_ Calum suggests after we'd been sitting there for some time.

A race? I suppose we did have one last night getting back to the house, but this sounded like it was a bit more serious.

 _'Here to the other side of the clearing near those trees, I say.'_ Michael says.

The others nodded in agreement and I did too. I was fine with that. Part of me thought it looked like a long way at least by usual standards. Then I thought about how far I'd probably run to get here. It would be a piece of cake. 

We make a line in-between two of the trees. Apparently, this keeps it fairer than all running off at once. I glance at the others, as nobody makes a sound. What happened now?

 _'Michael you going to start us off?'_ Calum finally asks.

 _'No way! Michael will cheat if we let him count.'_ Ashton yells in a teasing tone.

_'Would not.'_

_'Would so.'_

_'Would not.'_

_'Fine, I'll count then.'_ Calum says, making the two wolves silent and neither of them protests, I can't help but think that he might have forced them to stop fighting,  _'Alright on the count of three....1....2...3...go!'_

Go? I realise that the others have already taken off without me. I break into a run after them. It takes me a few moments to right myself, but once I've fallen into a rhythm I can feel the ground disappearing beneath me. A glance in front tells me that I'd almost caught up to the others. I pass both Calum and Ashton about three quarters of the way across. 

Now it's just Michael. 

I try to pick up my pace, but the trees are approaching closer. My feet slide and skid along the ground as I fight to catch him. The finishing point is in sight. My feet seem to come out from under me and I tumble into a somersault behind him. I can hear someone laughing and I glance up to see Michael looking at me, clearly amused. 

 _'Not bad Luke.'_ Michael laughs as he comes to a stop just past the agreed finishing point.  _'......might need to work on your finish though.'_

_'Hey, I thought the tumble was the best part.'_

_'True.'_

Despite my tumble and that I was last to take off, perhaps they were right last night. Michael had some competition for being the fastest in the pack. Once I got used to my legs, I'd be running laps around him I was sure. Was it bad if I couldn't wait to do it? 

Ashton came in next with Calum following behind him. I hadn't realised they had been so far behind us.

 _'Geez, both of you run so fast. Before I knew it, Luke had passed me.'_ Ashton spoke.

 _'But look, Ashton. I still won and I didn't even cheat.'_ Michael replies, sticking out his chest.

Ashton rolls his eyes, _'You still would've tried if you had the chance, you and I both know that.'_

_'Me? Of course, not.'_

_'Besides you win anyway whether you cheat or not, so I have no idea why you do it.'_

_'Well it would be boring if I didn't make it harder for you guys.'_ Michael nods, but glances at me before giving me a playful push,  _'I just need to work out how to keep this one off my tail. I was only lucky he did a tumble or he might have even won.'_

I push him back, with a grin.  _'We'll have a re-match later, okay?'_

 _'For sure.'_ Michael nods back.

 _'Wow someone might finally put him back in his place.'_ Calum spoke. _'Amazing.'_

After that, we continue through the trees, this time at a much slower pace. Calum points out a few distinct trees to remember in case I get lost. 

It must be mid-afternoon when loud crack of thunder breaks through the trees. I glance at the others, who pause. My eyes focus upwards towards the looming grey clouds building from the east. It was about to pour.

 _'There wasn't supposed to be any rain today.'_ Ashton frowned.

 _'Ugh, I hate having wet fur! Guys, let's head for cover. There should be a cave near here.'_ Michael moaned.

The rest of us didn't need an invitation. I followed behind Michael as we headed for the cave. We hadn’t made it far when the rain began to heavily pour down onto us. The trees offered a little bit of protection but still I found massive raindrops pelting at me. I was soaked already. I hoped that the cave wasn’t too far away.

 _'Finally.'_ Michael said, just as a large moss covered cliff of rocks began to appear in my vision.

When we reached it, I followed the others inside. We were only few steps in when the three of them froze, I almost fell into them but stopped a mere step away from them. I looked around but there didn't seem to be sign of any danger. So why had they stopped.

 _'Stay back guys.'_ Calum thought to us, taking the first steps. He walked forward his eyes darting around the entire cave as he did so.

 _'What's wrong?'_ I ask.

No one responds but Calum freezes his eyes on thin scraped marking lining down one side of the rock face. He raises his paw up to the scratching, dragging his own down along it,  _'These weren't here before. Someone must have been here recently.'_

 _'For sure, the entire place smells of wolf and it's not of us.'_ Michael frowned.

Smells of wolf? Hmmm... I had a go. I sucked air through my nose, I could smell about four distinct dog like smells. I wasn't sure which smell belonged to who but was this what they were talking about?

 _'Don't you guys think; it's like the scent of the one that attacked Luke.'_ Ashton frowned.

I hadn't been able to smell anything then compared to now. In my defence, I was human, but the three of them hadn't. They'd be able to remember it. I was scared Ashton was right and it was the same one.

 _'Mmm.'_ Michael nodded.

_Calum frowned,_ _'That was a week ago, they're probably long gone by now if they were just passing through'_

I stood at there blankly for a few moments as they discussed it. It felt odd knowing that the one who had caused all this to happen to me had been here. What kind of person were they? Probably awful considering they’d tried to kill me. What was their story? Why had they been here? Had they been simply escaping the rain as we were or had something worse been going on.

_'Do we want to keep moving anyway...what if they come back?'_

_'We'll stay here, the smells only faint, they probably haven't been back for a few days.'_

Whilst I wasn't too comfortable with hanging around the past residence of someone who had tried to kill me, I didn't want to go back out into the rain to try and find somewhere else. I couldn’t fear them forever.

 _‘Wait guys… Luke are you fine with that-’_ Ashton asks, turning his head back to look at me.

I nod, _‘It’s cool. We’re out the rain, that’s all that matters’_

Ashton gives a relieved nod at me.

When I looked up, I realised that Michael had already shifted back. He didn’t waste time, did he? Though I was starting to feel what he meant, my fur felt as though it was sticking together. Perhaps I should shift back as well. I glanced at the others had noticed that Ashton and Calum had decided they'd had enough as well. I decided to do the same. Shifting back seemed easier this time.

Michael was sitting at the edge of the cave just where the rain wasn’t touching. He had his knees pulled up to his chest as he looked out at the rain. Ashton went to sit beside him, so I did as well. Calum joining me on the other side.  

“Shame about the rain, but did you enjoy it, Luke?” Calum asks.

I nod. “For sure.”

"Well now that we have that part sorted I guess the full moon's the only thing left to worry about." Calum said as he pulls his head back to look up towards the ceiling.

"Full moon?" I ask.

Calum opens his mouth to speak again.

"Don't scare him yet." Michael said quickly, "We'll talk about it once it gets closer."

"Just probably don't make other plans that night is all we're saying."

I nod. "I'll try not to."

"Seriously, don't." Ashton glances over at me. "The full moon part of the story is partly true."

I thought about what I knew about the story werewolves and what happened on the full moon. Ashton had said partly though, so I was unsure of what he meant was and wasn't. I was a little afraid to ask. Those stories had always freaked me out as a kid.

"As I said we'll talk about it once it gets closer." Michael frowns, glaring at Ashton.

"Anyway, thanks guys for everything today....and last night." I say gazing out into the rain. “I can totally get used to this.”

“See, I told you it gets better.” Ashton smiled.

It was in that moment, a feeling of sadness washed over me. It was weird that in a few hours I was going to have to go home to the crashing reality that my parents had no idea about any of this. If they did then a lot of bad things could happen to all of us. But for now, I could just sit here in the rain and enjoy the fact that for the moment at least things were okay.

I agree, “Yeah, it totally does.”


	8. Turn It Off

The trip to school the next morning was a nervous one. It was my first day at school after making my first shift and I was terrified. Everyone had assured me that I'd have enough control over it to go to school today but it didn't stop me from thinking I was going to mess up and wreck everything. I probably wouldn't be so worried, only last night after I'd gotten home I'd had a couple of moments where I'd thought I was going to involuntarily shift. I'd been able to taste the acid on my tongue and my hand had started shaking slightly. When I'd looked in the mirror my eyes had shone like golden like the others. I hadn't told them about it yet and I hoped I wouldn't have to. It hadn't happened this morning, so maybe it was over?

I spotted Michael walking ahead of me. I wondered whether I should call out to him but it felt slightly wrong. Sure, he'd been talking to me now but things had still seemed kind of weird between us. I wasn't so sure he even liked me. He'd said I was fine to Calum and Ashton. But he always seemed nicer to me around them so it was hard to tell.

"Michael!" I called out deciding to do it anyway. The moment the word left my mouth I couldn't help feel a little embarrassed. Well he had been nicer to me the last day or so, I was probably just overthinking it.

"Oh hey, Luke." He spoke turning around to smile at me as he pulled out an earplug. "How are you doing?"

I breathe a sigh of relief, so far so good and none of the others were here. I had to be overthinking it for sure.

"I'm good." I reply, deciding not to mention last night to him. I was sure I was past that now.

We start to walk and he starts going through a list of things that I need to be careful of whilst at school, I tune out a little half-way through. They all seemed obvious to me. I already knew I wasn't supposed to shift at school, no one that didn't need to know shouldn't find out about this. As we get closer to the school and more students surround us, he becomes quiet again until we reach the school gate.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot you'll be needing this." He said before grabbing something from his pocket and offering me a piece of paper on floral notepaper. What did he want me to do with that? I raised an eyebrow at him, and he pushed it towards me again.

I decided to take it, but before reading it I held the note back up again, "What's this?"

"Your pass out of PE today." Michael says with a nod. "You don't want to hurt anyone, do you?"

Wow, only the second PE class at this school and I was skipping. I'd never actually skipped it before without an obvious reason and here I was using forged notes too. I did have a reason though, I thought about how fast I'd been yesterday. I guess if I tried to play soccer moving like that I probably would hurt someone. I read over the note explaining that I'd hurt my ankle over the weekend and was going to be out of PE until further notice. Well it was a long shot but I guess it linked up with what Calum had said to mum about me spraining my ankle last week at his place?

"Uh...thanks." I nod as I notice there was still another note in his hand on slightly different but still flowery paper.

"Who's the other one for?"

"Ashton..."

"Thank you." Ashton appeared, as he took the second note straight out of Michael's hand. He doesn't even read it; he just slips it into his pocket like it's nothing. I guess they've been doing it for a while now so it's not a big deal to them.

"So you're out too, huh?" I ask.

"I haven't participated in PE for months." Ashton nods, "It sucks because I like PE but it wouldn't be worth it if I hurt someone."

"You know you would be right to play by now surely." Calum says appearing from behind him. "In fact you could probably try today if you wanted. It's been more than long enough now, Michael and I went back after way less time than you've been out."

"That's alright, I can stay on the side-line with Luke." Ashton nods at me.

I wasn't going to argue with that, it was way better to have a friend sitting out with you then being out by yourself. I was also glad that our PE classes went on our science ones so we would all be in the same one together. I could vaguely remember seeing them last Monday in class. Though it wasn't exactly like we'd been friends back then. Strange, how things can change so quickly. I don't think last Monday I could've predicted any of what happened.

"Whatever, my work here is done." Michael says, as he starts to take a step away from us, "I'll see you guys later."

"Where are you going?" Calum asks, looking confused. I'm confused too, we only just arrived and homeroom doesn't start for another fifteen minutes. Where could he be off too so early?

Michael froze, turning on his heel to face the three of us. He fidgeted with his bag strap, "I... -uh, have an assignment I have to get done."

"We don't even have homework yet though...." Ashton frowns at him.

"Special one. You know because I failed history last year...." Michael calls back as he starts to race away. I notice him shove the earplugs back in his ear, probably to ignore us. I could bet he'd still be able to hear us if he wanted to.

"But he didn't fail history.... he failed maths" Calum frowned to himself.

"That's odd." I say watching Michael race off to the library without another glance back at us.

"That's also Michael." Calum shook his head, "Once he starts on something you can't stop him."

"I wonder what he's up to then? It's not history that's for sure." Ashton pondered.

"It's probably just tutoring; they have those in the morning there. He probably doesn't want to admit to it." Calum shrugged, "But honestly who knows."

"If that's all it is, I guess we shouldn't be too worried." Ashton shrugs as the three of us walk towards our spot in the playground.

We sit there for a while, just talking. Eventually the bell rings and Calum and I go a different way to Ashton to walk to homeroom.

When we arrive, the teacher begins calling through the roll. As they do, I begin to feel a shooting pain begin to build in my head, it feels as though an invisible pressure is pushing down on it. I internally wince, as it grows stronger with every name called. The bell rings and I pull my hands over my ears as the ringing continues long after the bell has stopped. Each echoed ring sending shooting pain into my eardrums. I stop myself from letting out a wince of pain. What the heck is wrong with me?

Calum glances over at me, he's already starting to get up to leave but doesn't say anything. Maybe I should tell him what's been happening but I'm not sure if I should. I don't want to mention it over nothing.

The room turns to chaos as the entire class exits the room. The two of us hang back, letting the craziness die down. I'm thankful as the noise starts to dissipate to a quiet hum. However, when we walk into the corridor, it's back into the noise and my ears start to ring in protest. I close my eyes, count to ten. I open them leaning my head backwards. It didn't help. School corridors were way too loud for me right now it seemed.

"Luke are you alright? You've been acting strange..." Calum glances at me, clearly concerned this time.

"Yeah, I thought I kept hearing something... It was just a bug I think...." I half-lied.

"Oh that's normal. There's a lot of things you probably couldn't hear before that you can now" He said looking slightly relieved. "I jumped at everything for at least a month. Eventually you'll get used to it."

I nod at him. Maybe that was the problem, the buzzing had seemed to grow quieter once I was away from people. Perhaps I just needed to be alone for a little bit. I couldn't exactly leave school though; apparently, they locked all the gates here during the school day. So, where could I go for a few minutes that was quiet or at least somewhere that I could lose Calum without him worrying about me. Outside I spy the bathroom blocks just down the stairs, I turn my feet to walk towards it, "I'll catch up with you, alright?"

"We have to go to class-"

"Trust me, I'll be back by then."

"Alright then." Calum frowns not looking so convinced, but he nods and walks away. I move out of the people and watch him go. When he's gone, I dash out the nearest exit instead. I needed to be away from here. That would fix it surely.

With the ringing continuing and my vision blinding with streaks of white light, I searched outside for somewhere quiet to sit. I noticed there was a concrete staircase at one end of the building. It didn't seem like it went to anywhere. When I looked at the side of the building it looked as though a door that had originally been there but had been covered in a renovation. Surely that would make it quiet here.

I sat there for a few moments my ears covered as the ringing in them continued, voices from the corridor still echoing and warping in my eardrums. I just wanted this to stop.

Maybe I just wasn't far enough away yet. I needed to move.

That's when I felt someone tap on my hand. My heart skipped and beat I looked up, to find Michael standing there his bag slung over his shoulder. How long had he been there for I wonder?

"I thought it was odd that you told Calum to go on and raced out here instead of going to science or anywhere reasonable." He said. "Something up?"

My stomach immediately tightens; I want to tell him no. If I didn't tell Calum that I'm not feeling okay I'm certainly not going to tell Michael. Yet when I meet his green eyes to tell him, I can see how concerned he is. I look away without replying.

He leans forward against the railing his arms crossed as he looks down on me, "Come on. You can't be sitting here clutching your head for nothing."

He was onto me. For some reason, I don't think I should or could lie to him too.

"Everything's too bright and loud." I say, suddenly feeling stupid as the words leave my mouth. Why was I telling him that? I sounded like such a baby. I'd been a werewolf just over a day and I couldn't even handle it.

Instead of reacting like I was a freak, Michael straightens himself so his arm is leant up the stair's hand rail, and shakes his head, "Ugh, yup I remember having that problem. It's another one of those things where your body and your brain are just catching up with you. It's just a bit of a dizzy spell you should be right in a moment." He nods, his eyes are awash with sympathy this time.

Alright at least this was normal, Calum had kind of said everything being too loud was as well. Yet I was sure having so many of these dizzy spells wasn't.

"This is about the fourth weird thing like this since last night. This one's been the worst though." I say.

Michael nods, "Normal, I think.... When I first shifted, I had about that many myself. Hopefully this should be the last one."

Phew, I take a deep breath. Glad to hear that another of these things was indeed normal. I wished someone had warned me about this one though.

I hear the scrapping of concrete and a slight clamber. I notice that Michael has now taken a seat on the step beside me. He looks pretty set in, does this mean he's going to stay until it's over?

I glance over at him from under my crossed arms, I say my voice muffled by them, "You can go onto class if you want, leave me to suffer."

Michael shakes his head, "Nah, Ash and Cal will cover for us. If she asks questions, they'll just make out you were upset and that I stayed behind to cheer you up. Easy."

I glanced over at him again, peeking through my hands. I almost couldn't believe how nice he was being to me, "Why are you-"

"Well...uh, for some reason neither of them really had this problem. Calum thinks I was over reacting about it when I told him. Ashton said it only happened to him once."

"Lucky."

Michael nods, "Yeah. Though it's strange that you're the only other person like us that's had this problem so badly. It's also odd that you weren't able to walk right before you shifted."

Wait Michael hadn't been able to walk either, that explained the look him and Calum had exchanged when I told them I couldn't. It was odd that it was only the two of us that had happened to.

"What might it be then?" I ask.

"Well..." Michael starts.

I heard the clip clop of heels on the cement. They seem to come to a stop not far from us. Both Michael and I tilt our heads up to the sound. A woman stands there carrying a pile of folders. Oh, no, it was our science teacher. I guess this place wasn't as private as I thought. I mean Michael had found me too after all. I guess it wasn’t going to be up to Calum and Ashton to cover for us now.

She paused, her eyes narrowing on us, "Are you boys coming to my class today?"

"Uh..." I start to say, I hadn't thought of having to explain this to the teacher, what did Michael say that Ashton and Calum were going to say again?

_'Let me handle it'_ Michael's voice rings in my ears. I wasn't going to argue with that.

"Luke was just having an off moment. We'll be right there." Michael nods, putting on a charismatic smile.

"Oh no. Take your time, in fact go for a walk, get a drink if you need to." The teacher nods, but she’s giving us a strange look. I try to imagine what the two of us must look like; I must look awful for her to say we could do that rather than go to her class. I'm almost surprised that she wasn't sending me off to sick bay. I guess she must believe that I'm upset over something.

Her high-heels clomp away, the two of us are silent for a moment. Almost as if we both thought someone else would walk out the building and find us.

"You want to try going for a walk? She might be right you know; it might help to be away from the buildings. The noise is probably making it worse."

So maybe I was onto something by coming out here. Yet, when I titled my head up again I felt so dizzy that I wasn't sure I could even stand but if Michael seemed to think it might help, a walk would be okay.

"Yeah sure." I nod.

I push myself up from the cement staircase, wobbling a little as I try to stand up. The world shakes slightly in my vision. Michael leaps forwards and grabs my arm as if he's scared I'm about to fall over. I stand there for a moment as my vision rights itself and my body seems to gain back its strength. I can't help but feel embarrassed, why was I having so much trouble with this?

"Sorry I'm being so useless." I say to him.

"Don't apologize, you're doing fine, Luke." Michael nods as he grips my arm tighter to support me. "This isn't your fault."

Slowly the two of us walk down to the oval, Michael still supporting me. I'm glad to see that none of the PE classes are down here now. My head is still bothering me, and I feel kind of strange. Michael keeps looking over at me. It's like Saturday night all over again, everyone watching me as if something was about to go horribly wrong......Maybe it was and he was just too scared to tell me.

No, he'd said that this had happened to him too. It can't be that odd. It would be over soon.

A strong jolt of pain shoots through my spine and into my head, causing me to freeze and arch upwards almost pulling Michael backwards with me. I can see a girl walking up the stairs into one of the buildings looking over at us. Well more me than Michael. Then I feel it, the howl rising in my chest. I start to panic, not here! Someone could be watching. How can I stop it? It's too late as I begin to hear a soft strangled noise build from my throat beginning to form into a howl. Michael clamps his hand firmly over my mouth. It stops for the most part, but I can still faintly hear it.

We stare at each other. Michael's eyebrows are downcast as he continues to hold his hand over my mouth, as it continues for a few more moments before stopping. This is awful, I feel so bad for doing that. I couldn't stop it though. Eventually he takes his hand off.

"Alright so I wasn't expecting that." Michael said with furrowed eyebrows.

"Sorry." I mutter, feeling embarrassed all over again.

"It's okay." He sighs, "Your body is still catching up, you can't help it.... I guess we better get out of the open." He says looking back at where the girl had been walking up the staircase, he'd seen her too. The girl was no longer there now but I was scared that she had heard something. Someone making noises like that wasn't considered normal.

Michael and I continue to walk and I notice something odd. I feel kind of nervous, but there seems something wrong about it like I'm slightly detached from it somehow. Like there's my own nervousness about shifting at school and somebody else's at the same time. I let out a small yelp as it grows stronger.

Michael's eyebrows furrow once more, as he looks over at me, "Oh yeah, that.... We forgot to mention it with the other stuff but sometimes we can sense a general mood about each other's feelings. You can usually sense it when you need to, but the strong ones you can't stop as easy. I couldn't sense you before, but I can now. It must've only just started working."

I blinked, as I looked up at him another ability no one had remembered to tell me about? Well they had said there was more to learn. I wasn't too sure how I felt about this one from a personal view but I guess it might be handy in knowing if someone was upset or whatever.

"I think you're right. It's kind of weird though."

"You'll get used to it. It can be a little distracting sometimes, but once you learn to understand it and what all the different emotions mean. It'll be useful."

More things to get used to. I wasn't sure how to feel about that either.

Michael frowned, pulling me to a stop. He looked at my eyes in concern, "Crap. Your eyes have gone yellow. We'll have to move into the bushes over there in case someone sees." Michael said, with a glance behind us, "There's usually at least one odd shift before you can control it for the most part, so maybe this is it."

Seems they missed telling me quite a few things then. I guess they didn't have someone new very often. Though from what they'd said this morning I wasn't sure how long Ashton had been with them.

I followed Michael down to the back of the trees. Thankfully at the end of the oval was a large forest of trees went all the way up to the school gate that continued into the forest. Well more like he dragged me until we were right on the end of the school gate. No one would find us here.

Michael wasn't wrong, it didn't take long for me to notice the other signs. My hand was beginning to quiver and I could taste the acidic taste on my tongue. My breathing was becoming rigid as my chest rise and fell. I felt dizzier then the other two times that I shifted and I was scared if I did I'd pass out. Michael directed me to sit on the ground resting on the school fence. I rested my head on the cool barred metal. Damn, I was going to shift here, wasn't I?

_Come on Luke,_ I think to myself,  _you can't do this here._   _You need to be human._

The crunching of leaves fills my ears; I glance at Michael who is kneeling on the ground in front of me. An alarmed look crosses his face. I looked back at him helplessly. We've got nowhere left to go. 

 


	9. Take Cover

_Crunch. Crunch. Crunch._

My heartbeat grew faster in my chest and Michael's fear was doubling down on my own. There was nowhere else for us to go. I glanced down at my hands, noticing that my fingernails had already turned into claws. Whoever it was they were going to notice that for sure. I glance at Michael helplessly. 

He frowns as he looks down at my hands, then back at my face. 

"Wait, I have an idea." Michael muttered as he lent forwards as he grabbed my hands. His eyes flashed with golden, as he said, "Just close your eyes and focus on me, alright. It will help."

I nod, I was running out of options. I shut my eyes, and focused on the slight warmth of Michael's hands. The footsteps continued and I did my best to block them out.  If I could just focus for long enough than maybe, I'd be able to stop myself from shifting. At least long enough so that Michael could get whoever it was to leave. 

The footsteps are getting louder, the person belonging to them is almost here. I tried to hold myself upwards as my body tried to pull me forwards. My breathing grows louder and more ragged as my hands shake in Michael’s. I don’t think I can hold on much longer.

"Come on Luke." Michael muttered under his breath.

I let out a grunt of pain as the humming in my ears grew louder. Then they stopped completely. I opened my eyes I was no longer trembling anymore. I felt a little numb but that was all. Michael slowly released my hands, a look of uncertainty on his face as his eyes faded from golden back to green.

I glanced up, "Is it over?"

Michael nods, and I slump back onto the metal bar in defeat. I felt my bones ache in response, it seemed it had taken a lot from them to stop myself from shifting. 

"Though that was excellent Luke you managed to control it." Michael says, with a small smile on his face.

A swell of pride rose in my chest as I grinned back at him. "Yeah I did. Thanks to you; how did you know it would work?"

"I remembered Calum trying it one time when I was really upset...I wasn't sure it would work." Michael smiled, "But it did."

"Lucky." A voice said.

I glance at Michael but he's now looking at the two figures standing behind us. As they step into the light, I realise that it's Ashton and Calum.

You mean we panicked over those two? I thought we could sense each other or something? How on Earth did Michael not know it was only them. I guess he'd been a bit distracted by me. Besides I already knew that sensing each other like that didn't always work all the time. So perhaps that had been the case.

"I thought I told you guys to cover for us?" Michael frowned up at Calum and Ashton.

"Well we were until I thought Luke was about to shift in the middle of school!" Calum yelled at Michael, "Why didn't you tell us?! Don't you dare give me any of that the bond was down crap because I know it wasn't."

Michael let out a sigh, "I didn't think you needed to know."

"I didn't need to know?" Calum frowned, as he crossed his arms across his chest. "I didn't need to know that our entire secret was in danger because of both of your stupidity. Someone could've seen!"

I looked at the ground, there was nothing I could say to that. Calum was kind of right.  

"I could handle it myself besides no one saw. So, what's your problem?" Michael shrugged.

"Oh really?" Calum raised an eyebrow, his anger seeming to grow at the two of us. I could almost see the lecture forming in his mind. Michael puffed up giving him a massive scowl, he seemed to be upset with Calum too.

"I can handle things myself you know, just because you're Alpha doesn't mean that you're the only one that can help." Michael growled as he stood up to face him. Calum stepped towards him.

"Guys, enough!" Ashton yelled, as he jumped between them with his hands stopping both. He looked side to side at the two of them as he slowly stepped away, "Is it that big of a deal? At least Luke's fine and that's the main thing. Aren't you Luke?" Ashton looked down at me.

"Totally." I nod, Though I still couldn't have guessed what was going to happen. None of the other times I'd experienced this today had I almost shifted. I hoped it wouldn't happen again.

"Luke you could have at least told me you weren't feeling okay." Calum yelled, glaring down at me. "I knew something was up with you, but you should've said. I could've helped too."

My stomach sunk, I felt almost like I'd betrayed him. Perhaps I should've told Calum; he was Alpha after all. Yet, I didn't want him to worry after what had happened on Saturday night he'd worried enough then.

"I'm sorry...it's just that I didn't want to bother you and then Michael came along and-" I spoke quickly.

"You know what, never mind. At least Michael found you or it could've been worse."

Michael crossed his arms, looking as if he was about to comment. Ashton shook his head at him and instead asked. "Well you did say no one saw Luke?"

I look at the ground as I thought of that one girl that we'd seen. I glance at Michael, should we tell them?

"I don't think so." Michael said, answering for me.

"Good." Calum sighed. "Then there would've been a problem."

I suck out a deep breath. I honestly hope that she hadn't. Calum seemed angry enough at us now I'd hate to see him if he knew that had happened.

"Anyway, if Luke's fine. We better get back to class." Ashton says.

"Yeah, true. We promised we'd be quick." Calum frowns as he takes a step backwards and starts to turn on his foot to head back.

I start to nod, "Y-"

"Uh, we'll catch up." Michael says with a look in my direction. He shakes his head.

Calum glares back at him. I feel a little caught, who should I listen to. I don't want to make them argue again.

"Well someone's got to make sure it's not going to happen again." Michael says with a shrug.

"Fine." Calum sighs, looking defeated, “We’ll see you guys there.... come on Ashton."

Calum starts to turn, but pauses and gives Ashton a nudge when he doesn't move straight away. He looks startled but follows Calum anyway. He looks backwards, with a concerned expression as if he wants to stay behind too. Part of me wishes he would. I can't help but wonder what Michael kept us back for. I was clearly fine, now wasn't I?

"So I am alright?" I ask.

Michael nods, "I think so. That should be the last of it, I think.... just uh, don't let anyone upset you or we'll probably end up back out here again."

"I'll try not to." I agree. I did not intend to spend most of my day sitting here on the school fence trying not to shift.

Michael's eyes dart back to where Ashton and Calum were, miles ahead on the other side of the oval. He lets out a sigh.

"Calum's just worried cause the time it happened to me. Someone almost saw." Michael shrugged, "If you didn't already figure it out he's a little overprotective about all this stuff. He seems to forget sometimes that I've only been a werewolf like three months less than him. So, it's not like I don't know anything."

I nod, "What actually happened with that anyway?"

"You mean, how I became a werewolf?" Michael blinks, suddenly looking nervous, I felt a hit of alarm through the bond, perhaps I shouldn't have asked that so soon, "Maybe some other time I'll explain it. Right now, I guess we better get back to class as well."

"Nah that's okay. I understand," I say, "But thanks, Michael for helping me."

"Not a problem." He smiled, his mood instantly settling to what I assumed to be normal, "Someone's got to keep you out of trouble."

**********************

By the afternoon, Calum had seemed to forgive Michael and I for not telling him. However, that was not the case for the entire day; on the surface, he seemed fine but the influx of emotions I was receiving told a different story. He was still mad at us. It was weird being able to read his emotions like they were an open book, but at least I knew not to test him.

When school had finished for the day, the four of us met in the corridor. Our last class had been History so I waited with Michael for the others. Ashton arrived first, then Calum. We hadn't even started to walk when a phone beeped.

“Whose, was it?” Calum asked, as the four of us stopped in alarm. I made a check of mine, but there wasn’t a message or phone call in sight.  

“Mine I think.” Ashton said as he pulled it from his pocket, and started to scroll through it. He seemed surprised that he had a message.

"So what are we doing this afternoon?" Calum asked as he looked at Michael and me.

"Wait a second before we work that out, I just need to stop off at the animal shelter" Ashton frowned as he read his phone. I didn't know Ashton worked at an animal shelter? He hadn't mentioned it before.

Calum frowned, "She needs you to work again?"

"Yeah kind of, she's just been called to an emergency. She needs me to feed everyone while she's gone."

"Alright then, I'll come and help out too," Calum nods, "Luke do you want to come?"

"I guess so." Besides I wasn't feeling too comfortable with going home now after my almost shift today. Besides seeing animals didn't sound like the worst way to spend my afternoon. I'd already planned on staying with them anyway so it was fine by me.

Michael had turned on his heel already, "Are you coming?" I ask.

"Nah, I'm going home." Michael frowned. His eyes darted away quickly. "I'll see you guys later."

"Oh okay." Calum says.

Michael raced off without another moment's notice. I was surprised to see him acting like that again suddenly, he’d been fine in history.

"Wait, Michael's ditching us again...." Ashton frowned, as he put his phone away, "He always loves coming with us there though."

"Who knows." Calum shrugged. "He did say he was free this afternoon until you brought it up. So, I have no idea."

Well he had been the one to wait with me for the others so I'd kind of assumed he'd be staying with us too. I wonder what the sudden change in attitude was about. It was exactly like this morning.  

I walked with Ashton and Calum out the school gates. It felt nice to have the sun on my back after a day spent mostly inside the classroom.  

"So where is it exactly that we're going?" I ask Ashton.

"Well, my friend Alex runs a backyard animals shelter. She takes in a lot of abandoned dogs mainly. She gets called away quite often so I help out sometimes by going over and feeding them." Ashton grinned. "We're usually allowed to play with some of them too."

"Oh cool!" I smile back at him. I liked dogs so that sounded fine by me.

Eventually, we came to an ordinary looking house. I was confused for a moment until I noticed the sign on the glass door declaring it to be an animal shelter. It listed a name and a contact number. I guess this was the place.

We walked up to the door and Ashton pulled out a set of keys and let us inside. The walls were painted an aqua blue and a few certificates lined them. There was a long desk covered in paperwork. The floorboards groaned as we walked on them. Other than that, it was quiet. A little too quiet for a place that was supposed to be filled with animals. 

"All the animals are out the back." Calum said, noticing my confusion.

I followed him out to a room of about six or so fenced off metal enclosures. There were small laminated sheets attached to each of the metal wiring. Each had names listed for the dog and any special requirements.

"They need to be separated like that so they don't hurt each other whilst Alex's not here." Ashton says, as he opened a large cardboard box in the corner of the other room we’d just come through. Calum and I stopped at the doorway to wait for him. 

"You two go on, I just need to get the food out."

Calum nodded and moved over to the first pen and kneeled in front of it. The name space on the plastic card declared his name to be Shadow. I kneeled beside him. In this enclosure, there was a small black dog, a Labrador I think. He was sitting at the edge of the pen, when he saw us his head propped up. 

"Hello, little guy." Calum spoke soothingly to it. 

The dog seemed to fill with energy as he came bounding down to the front of the pen. His little tail wagging behind him. He trotted around the front, letting Calum and I pat him. Suddenly he stopped and glanced up at the lock before pawing up the gate.

"Not yet, Ashton's got to get some food to feed you guys first."

Shadow let out a bark in protest. He trotted back over to me as if annoyed at Calum for making him wait. He licked my hand that was resting on the cage.

"Hey, that tickles." I laugh.

The dog let out a small bark of approval. He seemed kind of proud of himself for licking me.  

"The dogs love us." Calum smiles. "I kind of think it has something to do with us being werewolves. They don't seem to bark like crazy at us or anything, not the way they do with ordinary people or other dogs."

"That's odd. I would've thought if anything they'd hate us because they’d feel threatened."

Calum shook his head. "Nah, I guess we’re just not that scary to them. I mean they always come up to us."

"Yeah for sure, Alex thinks it's amazing how the three of us can get them to calm down like we can." Ashton smiles as he puts the food into the dog's containers. "If only she knew."

Once he's fed everyone else, he comes up to the little black dog who starts pawing at the metal the way he did when Calum first called to him.

"Gosh, Shadow, you must be hungry." He laughs. "I'll only be a few more seconds."

Ashton pours some food out for Shadow, and the little dog bounds around his area excitedly in anticipation. The moment Ashton moves away he dives headfirst into the bowl. The bowl clamours against the metal as he tries to devour every bite in the quickest time possible. I can’t help but laugh.

"The way these dogs eat sometimes you'd think that they'd never been fed." Ashton smiles.

"For sure." I nod, as I watch the dog lick the bowl although it's already gone. 

"Someone received him for a present over Christmas and abandoned him. So, I don't think he was looked after very well where he was. He was quite thin when Alex first took him in," Ashton frowned. “Alex reckons that’s why he eats so quickly because he’s scared he won’t get food again.”

"The poor thing." Calum frowned.

It was hard to believe such a cute dog had been treated like that, it must’ve been hard for him to be treated like that as such a little pup.

The dogs started to bark wildly. I glance at the others. Calum had just said that they didn't bark around us. He looks a little alarmed as well. Even Shadow had stopped licking the bowl and was staring up at us making a whining noise.

I can see a silhouette in the door frame. As she steps closer to the light I notice that she has frizzy almost unkempt hair. She looks perhaps a few years younger than us, maybe only fourteen or fifteen. She isn't wearing a school uniform though, just ripped black skinny denim jeans and a t-shirt. There's an anxious look in her eyes.

"I guess I better get it then." Ashton sighed over the barking and whining dogs.

He dusted himself off and headed to answer it. Calum and I sat in silence, there wasn’t much to say over the barking of the dogs. Instead, we peeked around the corner as Ashton answered the door.

"Hi." Ashton said, putting on a smile, "Can I help you?"

"Uh...I need to see Alex." The girl spoke, barely looking him in the eyes as she twirled her hair.

"Oh. She's not here today. Sorry." Ashton frowned at the girl. “Is there anything I can do?”

She frowned back, as she looked up at him biting her lip. "I need to see her though...like urgently."

"Hmmm, well I can take a note for you?"

She shook her head. "No, It's okay."

"You sure? If it's that important I can do it." 

She shook her head, starting to take a step backwards, "I'll come back later, when will she be back?"

"I'm not quite sure, sorry. She's been called to an emergency; so, she won't be back until late tonight I don't think."

"Damn. Well that's alright. Thanks for your help...uh..."

"Ashton?"

"Ashton." She grinned, before walking away for real this time.

Ashton closed the door, and walked back towards us. Calum and I quickly ducked back in the room. 

"She was a bit strange." Calum commented as Ashton entered. I nodded.

"Yeah, a little." Ashton shrugged, looking unsure, "She must be some friend of Alex's, I think. Though I haven't seen her before."

"Me either." Calum spoke, “It’s like…”

“Like what?” I asked when he didn’t say anything.  

"Never mind, I'm just thinking about it too much." Calum shrugged.

What had Ashton and Calum so caught up on that girl I wonder. He seemed to still be thinking about her, he looked slightly far-away and distracted.

Ashton shuffled awkwardly, "Anyway now we’ve fed everyone, let's take a few of them out the back to play."

Calum and I nod.

After Ashton sorted out who we could take out and who Alex wanted him to take too we headed out with three dogs. One a golden retriever, another a border collie and Shadow.

Shadow seemed to want to stick close to us as the larger golden retriever and border collie raced around the yard. She plonked herself down beside Ashton and I demanding to be patted rather than play with the larger dogs.  

I soon forgot about the strange girl and wolves. Perhaps I shouldn't have.

 


	10. Fake You Out

"Ugh, why is this so hard today?" I grumbled to myself, as the page of algebra equations I had to do for school stared up at me.

I couldn't seem to concentrate on it at all. Usually I could get my maths homework done quickly. Yet, I'd tried everything, listening to music, taking a break, watching a TV show. It was hopeless. I flopped backwards onto my bed in frustration. I guess I'd just have to ask Ashton for help later.

My eyes fell onto my calendar. It had small circular markings that showed the important phases of the moon on various dates. There was only one that mattered to me right now, the one showing the full moon. It was tomorrow night. I sighed, I still needed to make plans for that.

We were supposed to be meeting up at Calum or Michael's place but we'd decide the specifics tomorrow. The week had flown by so fast that I'd almost forgotten.

_'So, Luke, you are fine for tomorrow night, right?'_ Calum asks through the bond, causing me to jolt at the sound. It was like he'd known what I was thinking about.

_'I think so, I mean I haven't asked mum yet but she should be cool with it.'_ I think back to him.

_'You have to ask her, just in case.'_ Calum says in a warning tone _._

It was a pain, but I knew Calum was right. I couldn't just assume that she would agree. It was a school night after all. That other time when I first learnt about all this and had slept at Calum's it had been a school night. I was already over there, so she really hadn't had a chance to say no.

Hmm, that was probably what I should do right now. It was better to know now if I was going to need to find another way out of here.

_'True, I'll go ask her right now.'_

I left my room and stepped into the corridor. The light illuminated the hallway surrounding the kitchen door. I think she's in there. Sure, enough when I peeked inside she was flipping through a pile of sheets of paper on the kitchen table. Her eyes downcast on them. I couldn't help but think that she looked a little stressed.

"Ah mum, I was wondering-"

"Hang on wait a minute Luke..." She turned and pointed to the phone. "Sorry, just my son." She apologized to the person on the other end.

I hovered there for a moment, feeling slightly awkward. I hadn't realised that she was on the phone. Maybe I should come back later....

"No that's alright. I've fulfilled my end of the deal do you have the list?" The person on the other end asked, their voice was high pitched but lowered as if they were whispering. It was strange to be able to hear the person on the other end of the line so clearly from this distance. I wonder what deal they were talking to mum about, work stuff obviously.

"Yeah, of course. I'll get it now." She said.

She covered the phone with one hand and held it away from her. She looked in my direction, "Hey, Luke could you go fetch me my notebook, please? I need it."

"Uh, where is it?" I asked.

My mum's notebook had all her contacts in it. She ran her own business so I was used to going on an expedition to find it for her. For some reason, she didn't like keeping it on her computer, I guess she was just old-fashioned like that. Normally I'd know where it is, but since we'd moved I had no idea of its current location.

She looked frustrated for a moment, her brows furrowed in concentration, as she waved her hand at me, "Uh, I think it's in my office or on my dresser, it'll be around there somewhere."

I nodded and left the room in search of it.

My feet slid slightly on the wood flooring as I walked past her room. A quick check and I noticed the notebook wasn't on her dresser like she'd suggested. Hmmm, it was probably in her office then. I take the stairs two at a time down to the office; I hadn't been in here since we'd first moved in. There were a couple of stray cardboard moving boxes to the back of the room, the words 'study' scribbled wildly in marker. I guess nobody had bothered to pack them away yet. I was sure that mum would no sooner unpack them and we'd have to move away again. That was the way things tended to work in our place.

I hovered over her desk for a moment, my eyes searching for it. There were piles of papers and envelopes strewn everywhere into a clump. I frowned, it was a real mess. I was surprised she could find anything in here. I decided the best way to find it was to try and move papers that didn't look as though their removal would topple anything over.

It takes a few shuffles but eventually my eyes fall on the brown notebook it's surface peeking out slightly from beneath them. Without further hesitation, I pull it out. I hear the papers start to slide and quickly hold my hand out to stop them.

The first thing I notice is how worn out the cover is, the ends are all dog-eared. Plus, the notebook was a lot heavier than I remembered, I guess she'd stuck a lot of notes in there since I'd last picked it up. If this was it, I think she was going to need a new one soon. Then I saw the words on the cover.

My heart thumps loudly. That's not the contact book.

I can't help but stare at it for a while. I'm frozen for a moment, completely numb as my eyes examine the words written in inky cursive font. It can't be happening, my mind's making it up. I rub my eyes but still the words remain.

It was a book on werewolves.

I closed my eyes for a moment, falling into a state of total denial. They couldn't be hunters, they just couldn't. My mind couldn't match them to that. They were too kind for that surely. My mind raced for a solution. Maybe someone had given it to them or perhaps it was just some long lost relatives and mum was only researching it. Yeah, maybe there was hunters in our family after all but it had been a long time ago.

_But it's sitting on the desk, Luke._ I thought to myself. It must mean something to her not to be stacked away in those boxes. She'd obviously needed it recently to have it sitting here. I thumped back into the chair to inspect it closer.

Nervously, I peeled the book over to the cover page, and onto the table of contents. They didn't help ease my suspicions much, how to kill werewolves was the first one I read before I decided that I could barely look at the chapter names without wanting to shut the book completely. It was obvious to me what kind of book this was. It wasn't the end though as I continued through there were even pages marked out in my mum's handwriting. Sticky notes lined pages. Words stuck out at me like monsters, and clawed at my brain in turn. I wondered how exactly my parents could've known about all this stuff and had never told me.

Maybe I should just ignore it, but there's a part of me that wants to find out more and confront them. Then I'll know for sure. Perhaps I was over reacting but everything was lining up. I couldn't shake what Michael, Calum and his mum had all said about my last name. My family name some way or another had a history hunting werewolves. Was it possible that we were that family?

My eyes glaze along the rest of the desk. Paperwork is crammed in a pile underneath the books. I see the word werewolf littered among them. Why had I never noticed this before? I guess the word hadn't meant all that much to me before.

"Luke what's taking so long?"

I shove the paperwork back underneath. I try to open my mouth, but for some reason I can't help but feel a little betrayed by them although I know this had to have been going on for years, possibly before I was even born. Possibly for generations. Then why not me?

I hear the door creak open and light floods into the room. I hold my hand up to cover my eyes as they adjust to it.

"Luke what are you-oh-" My mum spoke from behind me. I barely glance up but I hear her footsteps as she walks down the stairs and tells the person on the phone that she'll ring them back. My stomach sinks, this can't be good.

"What's this?" I ask. I hold the book into the light towards her. I try to keep my voice as strong as possible, yet I can still hear my nerves in it.

"Oh-" She said as she took the book from me, and quickly put it behind her back, "I was hoping you wouldn't find that...I guess I forgot to put it away. Oops."

"Mum, what is it?" I glare at her. I knew perfectly well what it was, but I wanted to hear it from her. I needed to know the truth, especially with the way she was now acting. There was more to this than she wanted to let on, I was sure of it.

"It's a book on werewolves." She sighed.

Well that had been obvious. It seemed she wasn't finished though because she fell into the chair in front of me and rested the book in her lap.

She looked me in the eyes, her expression completely serious, "We're hunters Luke. We hunt Werewolves. I know it might not seem real, but they exist and we've been doing this for a while now, to keep you and your brother safe from them. To keep everyone safe."

So, it was true. Everyone had been right about them. I looked down at my feet, she didn't know anything. I wasn't 'safe' from them at all. I already was one.

"We wanted to tell you, but we've never found the right time."

"You never found the right time to tell me this because?" I glared at her as I crossed my arms across my chest.

She barely battered an eyelid, "We decided not to. It was better you grew up not knowing about this. We were going to tell you soon, but I guess you know. now."

I waited for a moment, "So, this is the reason we've moved so, much, isn't it?"

She nodded, "It's what the job requires, I know it hasn't been the easiest on you out of everyone."

That was an understatement. I'd always been miserable once the words 'we're moving to-' had been enthusiastically mentioned at least once a year, my entire life. Now I knew what it was for, I wasn't sure if I could forgive them for it. All those years spent moving as my parents probably hunted dozens of people just like me. I couldn't help but feel disgusted by it.

"You understand, don't you Luke? If you had a chance to protect everyone, you would do it, wouldn't you?"

To protect my friends, I would. While I could understand her motives. I couldn't help but feel as though a massive target had been put on my head. Did she understand the creatures that she was fighting? It was the same as people. There were criminals and people who weren't, it didn't mean you hurt every single one of them.

"Look let me try and explain." She smiled. Gesturing for me to sit beside her. When I did, she opened the book to the first page. She flicked it to quite possibly the worst page she could find. A horrible diagram of a werewolf, clearly part of the way through shifting. The thing on the page didn't look entirely wolf or human, kind of an odd hybrid. My stomach twisted at the sight.

I couldn't help but wonder if that was really all I was when I shifted? I thought of the others, I'd seen them shift countless times now. It didn't look anything like them. So, I couldn't believe this. It was clearly an artistic impression meant to scare people. My eyes hovered over the crude drawing, snarling teeth, unkempt hair and fur it was a total insult to me. I took a deep breath, I had to pretend like I was a scared human learning about all this for the first time.

She starts explaining to me her version of what a werewolf is as she flicks through the pages. More awful drawings line them. I try to make like I'm paying attention, nodding and looking horrified when I can. Some of it does link up with what Calum had told me and what I'd discovered for myself but some of it is so wrong and off the mark. It makes me want to be sick.

"Luke, are you even paying attention?" She frowned at me.

Alarmed, I nodded, "Yeah...I was just thinking."

"Hmmm... well did you even hear what I just said then? It was important." She said as she crossed her arms over the book and covered the page. I tried looking past it so I could at least see the heading but it was covered too.

"Uh no..." To be honest I had started tuning out about part of the way through, there was only so many lies I could take.

"I'll tell you again.... You must never let one of them bite you, particularly not an Alpha." She glanced at me. "They'll either try to kill or make you like them."

I frowned. Bit late for that mum, I'd already been bitten twice.

"It's an awful fate to be like them." She shook her head, when I didn't respond, "If something like that ever happened to one of you boys. I'd have to do the unthinkable."

The unthinkable? She didn't honestly mean that did she. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. If only she knew.

"But I know that you wouldn't be silly enough to get involved with people like that." She said.

I think she believed that. I bit my lip. Well she was right I wouldn't be friends with the type she was referring to in that book. If Calum or the others had been like that I would've gone off as a lone wolf for sure.

"No, I wouldn't." I shook my head trying to look afraid and even a little shocked.

"I'm probably a bit late saying this now you're settling in here, but please be careful who you make friends with from now on. There's a possibility that some of them will try to befriend or trick you. You might even be going to school with some of them for all we know."

I shivered, she was so close to the mark on that one.

"So, there are werewolves around here?" I asked, knowing very well that there were at least four of us but I thought I should look like I was taking her words seriously. Besides it might give us a clue to whether the lone wolf was still hanging around here.

She nodded, "We're not sure on the numbers yet, but there's at least one."

I closed my eyes, my fear decreasing slightly. Maybe we were fine. They hadn't said at least three, there was a chance they were just here for the one who attacked me. I let out a deep breath.

"Luke, I'm sorry. I'm probably scaring you." She sighed, packing the book away and putting it on the desk, "We'll talk more about this later."

I nodded, I didn't really want to talk about it anymore but I guess if I was trying to keep up appearances I had to.

"Hug?" She questioned.

Hesitantly, I nodded.

I held back tears as she hugged me. She probably thought I was just upset over the werewolves. When it fact it was over the fact that Calum was right. They were totally serious about this, there would be no exceptions for their son. Once they found out about me they'd kick me out for sure. That was if they didn't try to kill me first.


	11. Look How Far We Came

I kicked the ground angrily as I pounded the pavement away from my house. The sky didn't seem to know how to feel either, the clouds passing and falling over the sun letting little beams of light through before snuffling them out and sending the landscape back to grey. 

I couldn't stand the thought of hanging around back there. I could barely look my mum in the eyes. It was difficult knowing what the truth would do to her. If I was scared about her finding out before, now it was a lot worse. It wasn't easy knowing that the moment she found out could be the moment your entire world falls apart.

The cement quickly turned to dirt track as the rows of houses merged into the lush greens of the forest. Part of me wanted to shift, but I decided that wasn't the best idea right now considering the circumstances. I couldn't help but feel paranoid that they were following me. So, I just ran. I wanted to be alone for a little while.

Bushes, leaves passed and snagged at my clothing. The wind was beginning to pick up again bringing the clouds along with it, now they didn't let the sun through it was probably going to rain again. I could turn back now, but going back to that house was the last place I wanted to be. I'd rather be soaking wet. I didn't feel like trying to find that cave either. It would probably still smell of that wolf and I didn't want to be reminded of it. It was all its fault I was out here anyway.

I had no idea what to do anymore. My parents were my family. Yet everything had changed so much these past two weeks since we'd moved here. I felt almost like I'd joined a world that I couldn't relate to them in that way anymore. I was also scared that I would cause myself and the guys problems if I stayed here. Perhaps I could just keep running and leave all this. I looked ahead of me at the trees beyond. It wouldn't take much just to disappear. If I stayed as a wolf nobody might even find me.

I sighed, as I thought of the friends and family I would lose as a result. It wasn't worth how lonely I'd feel without all of them. Besides the full moon was tomorrow night so there was no point running away yet. I had no idea what was going to happen and I wasn't ready to find out for by myself. 

It was just hard being scared for everyone. My parents and my friends; the people that meant the most to me right now were enemies. I didn't want anyone to get hurt.  

I continued until I saw a large creek up ahead. Mist hung slightly over it. It felt secluded and peaceful here. Exactly what I needed right now. Besides, if I continued there was a further distance to get back and more chance of getting lost. I didn't know this place as well as the others. 

There was a group of small grey birds diving in and out of the water. I took a few steps towards them and they froze their small eyes on me. A few moments later they flapped away splashing water across the area in a sea of terrified squawks.  I guess unlike dogs, birds were afraid of us. 

I take as seat as I bring my knees to my chest and lean in to them as I gaze over the water. Why did this have to be so difficult?

"I should've known you'd find this spot eventually."

I jump, as I search around for the voices source.

I can now hear footsteps right behind me, they seem to stop. I turn slightly to see it's Michael standing there. Ugh, he was one of the last people I wanted to see right now. I was scared enough about telling Calum let alone him. He'd been the one speculating about it the most.

I knew I was going to have to say something eventually but I wasn't sure I was ready to yet. There was no easy way to say 'By the way guys, my parents are hunters and they might be onto us.'

"Luke is everything okay?" Michael frowns, as he walks towards me hesitantly.

He knows something is wrong. Then I remember the bond that I had with the others, that would be how he knew; and perhaps the reason he'd come here. Besides, he seemed to be good at finding me when I was upset. I wasn't sure whether I was glad about that or not.

I shake my head. He at least has the right to know that.

He crouches beside me, "What happened? You were fine, and then..."

I look down. Am I sure that I want to tell him? I probably should've pretended to be fine because now I've got to work out how to stop him from bothering me.

"Alright, I get it. You don't need to tell me..."

I let out a sigh. I wanted to tell someone, but I just wasn't sure how to say it. We sat in silence for a moment or two. I was tempted to just leave, I'd come out here to be alone after all.

"You know sometimes if I'm upset about something, I find music helps." Michael suggests, pulling an object out of he's pocket. I glance over as he offers the headphone to me. I'd left my IPod back at the house. I wasn't sure what music he would even have but I nodded, taking it from him. A few seconds later a familiar tune comes into my ears.

"All time low, huh?" I nodded approvingly.

"Uh...yeah if you don't like it I can change it." Michael said suddenly looking embarrassed, his finger hovering over the screen as if ready to change tracks at a moment's notice.

I shook my head, "Of course not. I like them too."

Michael's eyes lit up in surprise. "Really?"

I nodded.

We sat there for a while just listening to the music. I started to consider whether telling Michael would be such a bad thing after all. 

Calum had said that they'd dealt with hunters before. Michael had to have been around at that time surely. He had commented last week that he'd only been a werewolf three months less. I bit my lip I had to stop being so afraid of him, he seemed to want to help. He'd offered me his music and helped me out the other day at school after all. 

"The thing is you were right." I say barely keeping eye contact with him as I removed the headphone from my ear. If I looked at him, I knew that I'd lose it and tell him everything without stopping.

Michael looked puzzled, as he took out his own headphone, "I was right about what?"

"My parents really are hunters."

Michael's face fell and I felt the disappointment mixed with fear through the bond straight away. I clenched my hand into the grass. He was going to be upset. I probably shouldn't have told him first.

"No way." He said shaking his head, "Please tell me they didn't find out about you."

"No. I don't think they have." I say, my voice breaking slightly, "I mean there was a book, some pictures and-"

All at once I lost it. I'd been keeping them in yet I could feel the tears stinging at my eyes as they started to slide down my face. My face grew warm. 

"Shhh, it's okay." Michael nodded, "Start from the beginning."

I tell him all about the book and what I'd seen. What my mother had said to me about the hunters and about if something ever happened to me what she'd do.

When I was finished, all he said was, "Damn, that sucks."

"I know right." I nod in agreement.

"Did you tell Cal yet?"

I shake my head. I'd been barely brave enough to tell Michael.

"Scared, huh?"

I nod.

"He's not going to be mad at you. I mean you didn't know. Well unless you did..."

"I didn't know." I sigh, "I had an idea that it was a possibility. I mean Cal's mother asked me the other night and I heard you guys talking about it the other morning but-"

"Oh, you heard that?" He interrupted.

"Uh...yeah." I said. I looked down at the ground, I didn't want to sound like I'd been eavesdropping or something. Though they had all agreed that it would be fine if I'd heard them.

Michael held his head down, "Sorry, I should've probably said it to your face...."

"Nah, it's okay." I shake my head, "Don't worry about it."

We sit there for a moment in silence.

Michael frowns, "I was hoping for everyone's sake I was wrong but-"

"I wish you were wrong too." I sigh, "I have no idea what I'm supposed to do anymore. My parents are hunters, I'm a werewolf it's not going to work."

"It will work," Michael sighs, "Just make sure that they don't find out, for now that's all you can do."

That wasn't very helpful. My plan to run away was still looking good. If I stayed here, they were going to find out for sure.

"If it makes you feel any better, I had some trouble with the hunters myself...."

"What do you mean?" I ask, thinking about what Calum had said about this not being the first time they'd dealt with hunters. Did it have something to do with Michael?

He quickly shook his head, "Uh- it was nothing..."

"What happened?" I persist, cutting him off. I was curious as to what he'd had to do with them, no matter how small.

"Hmm...Well okay." Michael takes a deep breath, "I guess I'd be best to start at the beginning, back when I first made friends with Calum."

I nod. Though I wonder what Calum had to do with it as well? I guess it had involved the two of them.

"I first met Calum long before any of this, when we were in primary school. You probably wouldn't believe me, but he was shy back then. He wouldn't talk to a person unless they talked to him. I guess sometimes I was like that back then too. He always seemed like a hard kid to get to know, so everyone stayed away from him. It wasn't until year three that I realised what he was really like."

"If that was the case, how did you start talking to him then?" I ask. If Calum had been someone people kept their distance from then what would make Michael talk to him suddenly.

"Well it was a bit of an accident really. I used to play Pokémon cards with a group of other kids, we would take up a whole table every lunch time and recess; rain, hail or shine." He sighed, "Until one day they decided they didn't like me joining in because I kept beating them at it. As you can imagine, I was annoyed with them so I ended up sulking in the playground. You can't play Pokémon on your own you see. Wait, you do know what game I'm talking about right?"

I nod, I remember quite a few of the school's I'd been to had Pokémon cards crazes. I'd had quite a few myself. I wasn't that good at it because I could never remember which types and cards were more powerful than others. So, while I was trying to read the cards, one of the other kids would usually take my turn or get frustrated with me before I could figure it out.

"Anyway, so that's when I spotted Calum. He was sitting alone too because he didn't have any, so nobody wanted to play with him. So, I had the brilliant idea that because I had so many I should let him share mine. He said he didn't know how to play so I taught him. That went on for weeks, and through that we quickly became friends. We went from barely knowing each other to being the kind of people that if you saw one without the other you knew something was wrong. It was a shame when they banned them from school though."

I smiled, that was kind of cute. I'd always wondered what it was like to have someone like that. Someone that you spent so much time around that people almost thought you were joined at the hip. Sure, I'd had friends in the past who I'd been close to but I was never in a town long enough to build that kind of friendship with someone. I wondered if this time would be different. I'd only been in town just over two weeks and already I felt closer to the other three than I had with most people I'd been friends with. I must admit the secret we share does help but still it was nice to have a group of people that you felt close to.

He continued again, a frown forming on his face, as a memory obviously appeared to him, "Then when I was about ten my uncle was over one afternoon. He was a little rough around the edges, but a genuinely nice guy. So, he was a werewolf hunter and had no children of his own to pass the knowledge onto so he chose to train me. I didn't question it. I was going to be saving people and when I was ten that seemed like the best thing in the world. I thought I was going to be like the Ninja turtles or something. Soon I was learning to fight and everything I needed to know about werewolves and the hunters. I hate to say it but at the time I kind of enjoyed it, I wasn't that good at it but it was enough to keep him happy."

"You were a hunter?!" I asked my voice showing my surprise. That hadn't been what I'd expected his involvement to be. 

I couldn't imagine that the same kid who'd shared his Pokémon cards with someone who didn't had ended up learning to fight werewolves. For some reason, I couldn't imagine Michael as a hunter. Sure, he always had that tougher air around him than both Ashton and Calum, but he kind of seemed a little too nice still to be a hunter. I guess so had my parents, and look how that had turned out. I guess the image I had of hunters was totally wrong after all. Maybe they were actually all nice people. Just not if you were a werewolf.  

Michael nods, pulling his knees up to his chest, "It's awful, isn't it? I mean, it's how I know so much about them and how their systems work which is handy. Still, I feel so stupid for it now."

"At least you got something out of it."

"Yeah, it was the only good thing." Michael muttered, though I had a feeling it didn't change much for him.

Yet how had he escaped them? He certainly wasn't one now and obviously hadn't been one for some time.

"So, you're probably wondering if I thought it was fun why I would quit?" I nodded at him, curious as to how that had happened, "Well a few years passed and we moved up to high school. Our duo expanded to an entire group of about ten people. The first few months were great; Calum and I were still close. When I went to school, everything was normal but outside of that, I kept training. It was kind of like one of those double life things."

"That would've been crazy." I nod, then I realised that was how my own life was going to have to be now. For my parents, I had to keep anything that might tip them off to what I was hidden.

Michael nods, "It sure was, I guess our lives are still kind of like it to a certain extent."

After what I'd just been thinking about. I knew that he was right. Crazy didn't begin to cover it.

"Anyway, not long after Calum and I had turned thirteen, everything changed. He missed school for a few days. I tried calling him, but all I'd get when he answered was an 'I'm fine' and the promise that he'd be back at school soon. He wouldn't tell me what was wrong with him or why he wasn't turning up. When he eventually returned, he refused to sit with any of us or talk to us for a few days. I knew something was wrong, so one afternoon when we were leaving school I demanded that he tell me what was up. He did."

I had a feeling I knew exactly where this was going, "He told you he was a werewolf didn't he?"

"He sure did, I was the first person he'd told outside his family." Michael nods, "I still remember how much it had shaken me. The thing I'd been learning to fight was standing in front of me, I'd heard about them but never seen one before. I could have never expected that the first one I came across would be my best friend. I wasn't prepared for it. He explained to me what was going on. I knew anyway, but I listened. In turn I ended up spilling my guts to him about the training. At that point, we both said we were cool with it, but it became clear the next day we weren't."

"What happened?"

Michael frowned, "It was stupid, we got into the biggest argument over nothing and didn't speak for a week. I don't think I could believe he was a wolf, and he couldn't believe I was being trained to be a hunter. We knew with the state of things we were now expected to hate each other. I hated it and I'm sure he did as well."

To suddenly be forced to hate your friend like that. It had been bad enough for me realizing that my parents would never understand any of this because of what had happened. Let alone your best friend as well.

"That was about the point I cut myself off from our old group, with Calum missing it wasn't what it used to be. Instead I spent my lunch time trying to work this mess out, I wanted my friend back and I was determined to find a solution. I totally immersed myself in books about werewolves. I just wanted things to go back to the way they were between us. At first, I went in with the attitude that there was something in there to turn him back to normal but after a few half-dozen books I realized that was impossible. I had to accept that's what he was and it wasn't going to change. By that point I was weirdly okay with the idea."

He went to all that trouble? I suppose when you had someone that had been your friend like that. That's what you did. I'd wanted everything to go back to normal when I first found out, but now I knew it was impossible.

"It just so happened it was a full moon the night I finally decided we needed to talk. I couldn't take us not talking anymore over something so stupid. Especially now that I was over it. So, I followed him into the forest. He shifted into a wolf as soon as he saw me. I think he thought I'd come to do my job as a hunter. We stood there for a few moments, just staring at one another. He growled at me. I was terrified."

"What did you do then?"

"I thought about running obviously. I was certain he hated me. Yet there was no way I could fight him. I'd brought a sword with me, just in case. So, I decided to take my chances and drop it at his feet. I didn't care what he was. I just wasn't so sure that he felt the same way about me."

"Did he?" I asked. 

"Well, he started running towards me at high speed. I was certain he was still mad at me over our argument." Michael frowned, "Instead he stopped a few meters in front of me and just licked me in the face." Michael smiled at that, I think that was the moment I started to realise that the thing I'd been taught to be afraid of wasn't the thing I should be looking out for. It wasn't until later I truly understood that...."

"So even after being trained to be a hunter you simply did that?" I asked impressed.

Michael nods, "Yeah, it wasn't easy though. For a little while there, part of me wasn't sure who or what to believe. Calum was my friend; he'd always been my friend. Yet my hunter training told me I was either supposed to report or kill him. I couldn't bring myself to do that. So, I decided that I had to learn to accept it. Even now, I still think I made the right choice."

I guess it was kind of like how I was feeling right now. I'm sure my parents believe that they're doing the right thing by protecting the world and I can understand that. Yet, I know that werewolves aren't the heartless creatures that they think they are. Choosing between your friend and a cause you'd devoted yourself to would've been harder though. By the time, I'd found out about my parents I was already a werewolf so it took a lot of the choices out of my hands.

Michael sighed, it seemed his story wasn't over yet, "From there in, I refused to train any further. My Uncle became upset that I'd stopped. Naturally that caused some problems. He started spying on me to find out where I was going."

"He found out about Calum I'm guessing?"

Michael nods, "Yeah. When he confronted me about it, I demanded that he didn't tell the hunters. I tried to explain that he was my friend and he wasn't anything like they had said. He didn't listen of course. In their eyes, even though I was just being trained I was disrespecting them by befriending a werewolf. Especially because it was clear that was the reason I'd left them."

"Even though Calum and you had been friends for such a long time?" I asked.

"Yeah, they wouldn't listen even then. I was supposed to have either killed or reported him, but why would I do that to my best friend?"

"You couldn't have." I shake my head. "You'd have to be pretty awful to do that to a friend."

"You'd think that, but people have done it in the past." Michael sighed, "As I said, it is what you're supposed to do. I remember there was a hunter boy a couple of years older than me, he was like Calum but his family didn't know he had the werewolf gene. So, once he turned thirteen and he shifted for the first time, they had to disown him. Some say he was killed but others think he managed to escape."

"That's awful." I say, feeling slightly nervous. I couldn't help but be scared that was how my own story would go if I wasn't careful.

"That's the hunters for you." Michael frowned. "That probably should've been my first sign of how dreadful they were."

We sat there for a moment in silence. I couldn't help but think how a group of people could be so horrible to someone.

"Yeah... Anyway, they left us alone for a month or so, I'd thought that they had let it slide. My training had stopped and things were fairly peaceful." He sighed. "That was until they sent out a team to get rid of him. For leading me astray he was considered a problem wolf, one that needed to be eradicated. I don't think it helped that they have a major thing against, what they call, 'Lone wolves' like what Calum was at the time. He had no pack that he belonged to and he didn't run one either. Some hunters will try to destroy them for no reason."

I frowned, that was terrible. Calum hadn't chosen this. Yet the hunters had seen him only as a monster who needed to be stopped. That had also happened to that boy that Michael had mentioned.

"So, Calum and I had taken a long cut home from school and before we knew it we were surrounded by hunters. Everything happened so fast, they enclosed in on us from all sides. Calum couldn't do much, so I did the best I could defending the two of us. Things were going fine, until someone thought they saw an opportunity and aimed straight for him. They weren't betting on me noticing though. I leaped into the direct path of their arrow and ended up badly injured. I just remember the pain in my chest and becoming so dizzy that I fell backwards onto the concrete. I was positive that it was the end for me and it should've been."

I sat there open mouthed. They had been thirteen when that had happened. I couldn't help but wonder if I'd been in Michael's position what I would've done. Would I have taken the bullet so to speak for my best friend? Heck would I have even talked to them again. It was scary how differently things could've worked out if I'd been told about this when I was younger.

"Uh...yeah. So, when I woke up back at my place I was so confused. Calum was sitting there, waiting for me. I couldn't believe that we'd made it out of there alive. He's never actually told me what he did to escape but we managed it." Michael explained, "I can remember sitting there with him as he told me what an idiot I'd been getting in their way like that."

"You were an idiot Michael." I say with a slight grin.

Michael looked fake offended, and put his hands on his hips, "Hey, I did save his life remember. I was not being an idiot for no reason."

"True." I nodded.

"After he explained that he became serious. A few days before hand we'd been looking through some books. We'd learnt about the possibility of natural werewolves being Alpha's and the ability they had to turn someone into a werewolf through a bite. I joked to him, that if something did ever go wrong, he could always make me like him. He thought I was being stupid that day and brushed me off. Yet it turned out kind of ironically that's exactly what he'd done. He'd thought that I would hate him for it, but I knew he'd done it save my life. I probably wouldn't have survived that day if it wasn't for him."

He was right, and the more I thought about it the more I could confidently think that I was glad Calum has saved my life that day. Just as he had saved Michael's. Neither of us would be here if it weren't for him.

"In a way, I'm glad things happened the way they did. I mean I wouldn't wish this life on anyone without a reason. Not because it's awful or anything but for the danger that comes with it as you've already started to see. But I know if I hadn't protected Calum that night I know he wouldn't be here today and I would've been miserable and regretted letting the hunters take him for all of eternity. I'd take being a wolf, and getting to know Ashton and yourself over that life. Things are better now."

He smiled.

"That also why Calum said to tell your parents a different name if you mentioned us. I don't know if mine and Calum's names are still going around the hunters, even though that was almost four years ago, now. It still could be one of the reasons that your parents have been sent here. If they knew of my name, I'd hate to think what it would mean for all of us. They'd find out about you in a heartbeat."

That was how serious these hunters were, so much so that he had to be careful whose name he gave out to people. I could never tell my parents his name for that matter. I know Calum had said his but I don't think she'd heard him properly. In the future if my parents found out about me, would I have to live the same way? He was probably right though, if I said his real name they might have put two and two together. Then they probably would've been in that situation all over again.

"So, you didn't know Ashton back then?" I ask, I noticed that he hadn't been included in the story. Yet another indicator that he was quite new to this as well.

"Oh no, Ash came along a lot later. If you want to know you should go ask him yourself, he doesn't like us telling people. He says the way he became a werewolf is too embarrassing. If you asked him though, he'd probably tell you."

I nodded, I could kind of understand that but what could be embarrassing about it?

"What about you parents, how did they handle it when they found out?" I ask. I was already aware that Michael's parents knew about us. I was curious as to how they'd reacted.

"Well they weren't hunters thankfully and I didn't even have to be the one that explained it to them. When Calum brought me back he told them everything. Obviously, he couldn't take me home to my parents, looking half-dead without an explanation as to why he hadn't called an ambulance or even taken me to the hospital."

"So, they believed him straight away?"

Michael shrugs, "I think so. I think they were a bit concerned at first but understood. I don't know what he said to make my parents believe a thirteen-year-old that werewolves were real but he did it. I guess maybe they were grateful to him for saving my life, I know it's the same thing with his family, they know what I gave up to protect him."

I sighed, Calum and Michael were both so brave. I couldn't compare to them. I just snuck out the house and ran from my problems. The whole way through that story I hadn't thought of it in that way, both Calum and Michael had kind of saved one another.

"It's a little silly, but that's kind of what these came from." He tapped on his bracelet, the one identical to my own. "Calum and I first exchanged them as kind of a promise that we wouldn't let something like that come between us again and that we would protect each other. Then when Ashton and yourself joined us we thought you guys should have them too."

"So, these are about protecting each other?" I ask, tugging on the band on my wrist.

Michael nods, "I guess you could say that."

I smiled. The bracelet on my wrist was starting to feel a little more special. It was a promise that we'd stay together. I ran my finger along it.

"Did that help?" Michael asked.

"Kind of. I feel a lot better, thanks Michael." I nodded.

"Stick it out Luke, we'll find a way."


	12. Moon

Grey clouds were building to the east above us as we left school. I sighed, pulling on my backpack strap. It looked like we might be in for some more rain this afternoon. It was common for the end of summer but the forecast had said it would clear up by tonight. It had been raining a lot these past few days including last night after Michael and I had left the creek.

"Luke, you okay?" Calum asked. I nodded, realising that I'd stopped dead in my tracks. I looked ahead, Ashton and Michael were already a few steps in front of us. The two of them paused at Calum's words turning back to look at me with worried expressions. 

I guess they had reason to. By now, all of them understood my parents were in fact hunters as they'd suspected originally. I was nervous telling them but Michael convinced me to do so. He was right, Calum and Ashton had simply assured me that it would be fine and that it didn't change anything. Yet although he had been the one to help me, Michael had become a little more distant again. He'd barely talked to me all day and when he did it was in as few words as possible. It reminded me of how he'd been when we first met. I'd thought after what he'd told me yesterday we'd be fine but I guess that wasn't the case.

"You're not worried about the moon tonight, are you?" He asks.

Damn, with everything that had happened I'd almost forgotten. Calum had mentioned it once or twice but it had begun to slip my mind. I had been concerned about it before but now he'd said it I could feel my fears growing once more. 

They'd told me to keep tonight free and that's exactly what I'd done. I just hadn't asked my parents yet, considering I'd lost my opportunity yesterday but surely, they'd be fine. All I knew was that we would be meeting up at someone's house. I had no idea what for though, no one had seemed to explain that part.

We start to walk, Michael falls back into step with Calum beside us. "We're meeting at my place tonight, right?"

"Yeah. Your parents are cool with us being around? My sisters having some friends over so my place is out." Calum said.

"They will be, I don't even think they're home tonight. Dad has to stay back late after work and mum's working night-shift tonight." Michael sighed. "So, it'll just be us."

I couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy, I didn't know about Ashton, but both Michael and Calum's parents knew what they were and accepted them. If my parents found out, I'd hate to think what they would do. Disown me probably, from what Calum had said. I couldn't keep thinking about that. I'd been a wolf for over a week now and had shifted a few times and neither of them had any inkling of what was going on. Everything would be fine.

"Did you ask your parents Luke?" Calum questioned. "You said you were going to and then didn't respond."

I'd forgotten. After yesterday afternoon I'd barely spoken to her let alone asked that.

"Uh...no. That was actually what I was going to do when I found out about my parents." I frowned.

"Well that's alright but don't forget." Calum frowns, "You can't be there when the moon rises."

"You say it's important but what actually happens on a full moon anyway?" I ask.

"Ah yeah, we forgot to mention that didn't we...." Calum said. He frowned, and glanced at the others as if waiting for someone else to take over.  It was starting to worry me when he did it as it seemed to usually be something I wasn't going to like. 

"Well, the turning into wolves on a full moon is the part of the story is true." Michael says, when Calum doesn't seem to respond.

That wasn't too bad. I'd expected it to be something like that. It also made sense if Calum's sister was having friends over we couldn't be there. They didn't seem to be finished though.

"Emotions are stronger as well. If you get upset you're more likely to get angrier if someone upsets, you. Which also means there's more chance that you'll shift into a wolf before then." Calum continues for me.

That one worried me more. How much time did I have? Would I end up shifting in front of them? Hopefully this wasn't all too sensitive.

"You'll be fine though Luke." Ashton gives a sympathetic smile. "You've made it this far."

Michael nods, "Yeah, considering the one time you almost shifted it wasn't over that kind of thing."

"At least your better than Mr. Emotional over here." Calum says glancing at Michael.

"Oi!" Michael yelled, as he pulled a face, "I am not emotional."

"I'm only teasing." Calum grinned, putting his arm around him, "But you've got to admit you're the one that shifts the most over stuff like that."

Michael frowned, giving him a shove back, "True...but god don't mention it while everyone's here."

"Scared it will hurt your reputation." Calum wiggles his eyebrows at him.

"Noo...." Michael says. "But you and I both know it's been ages since I've done that, anyway."

"Whatever." Calum rolls his eyes, before turning to me. "But seriously you need to keep yourself as calm as possible until then or we won't have much time."

I bit my lip. Were they sure I could handle this?

Ashton shakes his head and smiles at me, "Ignore them, you'll be fine."

I hope he's right. 

**************

I march into the lounge room, ready to go. I'm determined to do this, even though my stomach is beyond nervous at the thought. I take a deep breath as I approach.

"So, I'm going to be staying over at M-Alex's place, t-." I say remembering to change Michael's name at the last moment. He had told me to change his name if I mentioned him now and I totally understood why. I guess the name had come to me from Ashton's friend Alex at least that way I knew there was a real person in town called that.

"It's a full moon tonight," My mother frowned cutting me off. "And a school night."

It seems I'm walking into dangerous territory. Why hadn't I thought of the fact that she'd know it was a full moon tonight. Of course, a werewolf hunter would take notice of one. If what Calum had said was true about us shifting, it would be the easiest night for them to take notes on the population around here. I had to act like I didn't know about that though.

I shake my head and try to look surprised, "Ah, really it's a full moon tonight?" I pause, best to pretend I didn't know anything, "Uh, what difference does it make? I mean you've let me out on school night before."

"I'm aware of that but it's a full moon and that means there's a greater chance of their being werewolves around. Did you listen to any of what I told you yesterday?"

"Of course, I did." I reply quickly, "I just mean it'll be fine. I'll be with my friends. We're going to be in the house the entire night just watching movies or playing video games. I promise we'll get to school in the morning. We won't stay up too late. So, don't worry."

"Until we have the wolf situation worked out, you're not to go out on a full moon." She spoke, sternly. "No excuses."

My heart sunk, but I  _needed_ to go out on a full moon. For reasons that were obvious to me, but I couldn't tell her why though because then I'd need to blow the whole thing. Yet, I was going to blow it even more by staying here. Why did she have to be overprotective so suddenly?

I crossed my arms and glare at her, "Why? Didn't you say you hadn't found any of them yet? They're might not even be any around? Can't I just go over there? What's the difference in staying in here alone to staying at someone else's with my friends? I'll be inside the entire night, I promise." I say.

My stomach twisted. I knew that was all a massive lie and I felt awful for saying it. Especially when I was aware of four of them, and that one of them was standing right in front of her nose. Also, that I had no intention of staying inside for the night, Calum had made it clear that tonight's adventures were going to be outside.

"Well you're right, we haven't found them yet." She sighed, I mentally cheered if they hadn't found any yet that meant the guys and I were still safe. Maybe she would reconsider and let me out after all? She shook her head, "but they could still be here... We weren't asked to come here for nothing."

If that was the case, what had they been asked to come here for? Was it the guys? Or someone else entirely. Maybe I could find out.

"So, what were you sent here for, then?" I asked, trying to keep my voice as level as possible. I didn't want her to get suspicious.

She shook her head, "That's hunter information only, sorry Luke."

Of course, it was, well at least I tried. That was one mystery I knew we needed to solve. Maybe we were reading into it too much it had nothing to do with us. All I knew was they were here for someone.

"We on the other hand will be going out tonight." She says.

"But you just said I can't!" I yelled at her, my voice rising way louder than it should have. I take a deep breath, remembering my conversation with the others from earlier. I must stay calm; I don't want to shift in front of her. 

She scowls at me, "There's a difference you have school tomorrow and you'll see your friends then." 

There was nothing else I could say, I sunk back into my spot in defeat.

"Whatever, I told you we would be fine, we'll go to bed at a reasonable hour. I'll be at school exactly the time I'm supposed to." I countered, my voice pleading. "Please, why can't you just trust me and let me go?"

"It's a full moon." She repeated, "I've said it before and I'll say it again. I'm sorry but we don't want you out there. Make plans like that with your friends' tomorrow night or any other school night. Just not tonight."

Hmmm. If I wasn't going to go out the proper way, I'm just going to have to find my own way out the house then. I hated to do it but there's no way I'm staying here alone on my first full moon. The explanation I'd received earlier was enough of a reason not to be alone. So how was I going to get out of here without tipping my parents off. I know I could just sneak out once they were gone but what if I wasn't back in time? There had to be another way.

"Alright, you've made your point." I shrug, as I turn to walk away. Deciding I was better to head back into my room where I could think a little clearer. 

"Good." She nodded. "This is for your benefit."

"Yeah right." I muttered under my breath just loud enough so only I could hear. 

On the way, back to my room, I thought of ways to get out of here. Take the back door and shift into a wolf straight away? No way, that was too risky. Lock myself in the room? If what the guys said was true I'd end up destroying something and there was no way, I'd be able to explain that. Wait a second.... of course, the guys did say they wanted to help me. I didn't want to bother them but it seemed it was time to get help. Surely one of them would have a solution.

_'I'm under house arrest.'_ I think out to them. I quickly remembered this was a lot harder when not in wolf form, when I'd tried it the first time with all of us in wolf form it had come so naturally, right now I felt like I was talking to a brick wall,  _'Help?'_

_'Your rooms on the first floor, right? We'll be right over.'_  Michael replies almost instantly.

I breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that Michael and the others were coming made my chances of escaping seem a lot higher. I closed my bedroom door, and fell back onto my bed. My thoughts were racing on how exactly I was going to pull this off, my parents were still out there and if they were going out tonight there was a possibility that they'd see me out there.

Hopefully they'd have an idea so I can get out of here, because I certainly don't. Sure, I could try a lot of things but they all involved almost getting caught. I guess the best thing was to wait until the others arrived.

I busied myself with my phone, checking through the new pictures of the now strangers I'd left behind from my previous towns. It reminded me of how much things had changed. I wasn't that person anymore and most of them weren't the people I'd grown up with either. Even some of the ones from my last school seemed like complete strangers to me now. 

About ten minutes later, I heard a clatter at my window. I looked up to find a black shape at my window the only sign of colour a dash of green. Michael had arrived. I approached, he was dressed all in black, his fading hair poking out from underneath his hoodie. I quickly slid open the window for him. Wordlessly he slipped inside. I put my finger to my lip and pointed to the doorway. He nodded. I hope he understood. I was trying to keep talking to him, even mentally to a minimum.

He seemed to think the same. Michael pointed to my bed, and made a sleeping gesture. Then he pointed to my open cupboard of clothes then at me. I blinked at him, I wasn't too sure what to say. I didn't quite understand what he meant. Was I supposed to hide in my cupboard or something? If I was going to end up shifting was that a good idea?

He rolled his eyes, grabbing one of the shirts from the cupboard and stuffing it under the sheets on my bed. He turned back to me, as if to say now do you get it?

I understood now. We started to stuffed a few of my shirts to look like someone sleeping. It wasn't the most convincing thing out, but it was good enough. At least I hoped it would be.

_'You have this all worked out, don't you?'_  I say.

Michael nods. I wonder if he's done this before some time?

I heard the door handle start to turn.

I glance at where Michael was standing just in time to see him, jumping behind the space between my dresser and the wall. Following suit, I quickly moved over my bed to hide the sleeping lump. I made a grab for my phone as the door swung open, and pretend to be looking at it like I typically would.

"We're leaving now, Luke. There's some food you can heat up in the fridge if you want it." My mother stood at the door, her arms crossed.

I probably wouldn't even be home to eat it, but I nodded, "Thanks, night."

She looked worried for a moment, before shaking her head, "Goodnight." The door closed behind her and I let out a deep breath. Michael re-appeared a few moments later and I dropped my phone back onto my bed in relief.

"Shit, that was a close one." He said in a whisper.

"I know right." I sighed.

We stood in silence for another few moments, I heard the ignition of a car start up. I figured that it was my parents, I heard the noise grow quieter probably as the car reversed. Then everything was quiet. 

"I think they're gone now." He said, hearing what I did. I silently wondered whether I'd be able to have heard that before I became a werewolf, but it was easy for both of us.

I nodded, "I think so too." 

"Well we better get going, Calum will start thinking I got caught in here." Michael said. 

"For sure." I agree, and start to walk towards the door to leave. 

He quickly shook his head, "No, that's probably not the best way. I think the front door is still a bit risky right now. Besides it'll be easier to get back in through the window if they come home."

"The window?" I knew he'd come through that way himself but it still seemed strange. 

"You're not scared of heights, are you?" He raised an eyebrow. 

"No, it's just that the window-"

"Isn't the way you'd normally leave a house?" He grinned, "Well no, but it's totally fine. Trust me. It'll be easy." 

"Uh...okay then."

"That's the best we can do, so let's go." Michael nods, already with one hand on the window sill.

Michael leaped straight out the window, almost as if he was some superhero. I couldn't help but be a little impressed. I stood at the window sill and looked down, fear growing in my stomach. I was going to have to jump down there? I guess Michael had gotten up here somehow. Sure, enough Michael stood on the other side of the window, on the grass. He looked as though he was trying hard not to laugh at me.

"Come on, Luke, quit being such a baby, you're just climbing out the window. It's no big deal." He said, his arms crossed.

No big deal? It wasn't a very big drop, but it was enough to freak me out. My room was up a little bit higher than a normal one story window. I didn't care that Michael had just done it. The risk of getting out the front door seemed a lot better right now.

"Just think if you hurt yourself, you'll heal almost right away."

I gave him a sceptical look. I know he was right, but I knew that getting injured would still hurt. Even with the enhanced healing ability that came along with being a werewolf. I shook my head.

"Look I'll even help you." Michael said, offering his hand out to me as he stood on tip toes.

"Fine." I said as I took it. I climbed up onto the window sill, still holding his hand. My feet wobbled a little on the thin section of wood. I was positive I was going to slip. 

"Now you just need to jump."

I slid my feet forward until they were almost at the edge of the windowsill. Then I leaned forward slightly, pulling my feet out first. I felt the grass beneath my shoes as I landed with a soft thud.

"See, that wasn't too hard." He grinned, releasing my hand.

I rolled my eyes at him, "You have no idea how crazy that idea sounded though, it's not like jumping out my bedroom window is something that I do all the time." 

With a shrug, I followed Michael out the fence and onto the front garden. Calum and Ashton were waiting there, dressed completely in black and were wearing matching black jackets, they had the hoods pulled up. I was glad I'd chosen to wear black skinny jeans tonight. My shirt was kind of coloured though, it wasn't going to blend in with these three at all. No one had told me to wear all black tonight or I probably would've done it.

"Luke!" Ashton called looking relieved. "We were getting worried."

"Sorry about that." I said, "Mum has this weird no going out on a full moon thing now."

"You're kidding was that all it was?" Michael glanced at me.

"That's all it is." I nodded. "She's worried if I go out, I'm going to get hurt now that I know werewolves are real. I tried making out I would be inside all night but it didn't help." 

"Well except for that last bit, she does have a point." Calum says, "We might not be the only one out there tonight and not everyone is friendly."

I stare at him for a moment, was he suggesting that the wolf who had attacked me was still around. 

"We barely see other werewolves on a full moon though." Michael said quickly.  

"Anyway, we better get moving, you'll be needing this." Calum passed me a black hoodie identical to theirs.

"What's this for?" I ask him.

"There's a chance the hunters will be around tonight and possibly following us. We've got to make sure if they do, they don't recognize you. Or any of us for that matter."

I put it on. Well at least I wasn't going to stand out now. I was sure to pull the hood up and bury myself in it so that my face could not be seen. This was the only thing stopping me from being caught right now. That must be why everyone's all dressed in black too.

Michael pulled his own hoodie up, covering up his fading bright green hair completely.

"Alright, let's go." Calum nodded.

I walked alongside them, as we went through the streets and out to the forest.

"So, we've still got until the peak of the moon to get out into the depths of the forest before we shift." Calum explained, to me. Pointing up to the moon as he did so.

I nodded, that did make sense at least.

As the four of us trampled on, I noticed Michael and Calum seemed to know where they were going the best. Ashton on the other hand would make a few steps in the wrong direction before correcting himself back to Calum and Michael. It appeared he didn't know the route we were taking as well as the other two.

I felt my hand begin to quiver. I noticed Calum look up at the moon, his eyes glowing of soft golden, "We're later than usual, I guess this should do."

I couldn't help but wonder if my eyes were doing the same. Looking at both Michael and Ashton, I assumed they were.

"Shift now."

Within a few moments, I was a wolf again. It was becoming easier to slip into that form, like it was almost an extension of myself. Second nature. At least it didn't hurt like hell like the first few times I'd tried it.

_'Let's keep moving.'_  Calum said, once all four of us were wolves.

I wasn't one to argue over it, so I followed the others through the forest bolting after them at full speed. It was amazing being out here at night. The stars and the moon reflected over us, tiny beacons, illuminating the darkened sky. The trees swayed in the almost invisible breeze. The world around me smelled of tree bark and grass. It was comforting being out here.

We came to a slowed stop. Calum had his eyes on something, I followed his gaze. Wait what was that moving, over there in the bushes?

I focused my eyes in on it. My stomach clenched, I could see my par-, no, that wasn't who they were tonight. The hunters were watching us. I took a step backwards. No way.

I wasn't the only one who noticed.

_'Shit, that's Luke's parents.'_ Michael thought out. He was the only one of them to have seen them before when we'd been in the house.

_'Oh no.'_ I heard Ashton reply, on the other hand Calum remained silent.

_'What if they-'_ I start to say.

_'They won't recognise you in this form, they're probably just making sure we're not tearing up the place.'_ Calum finally spoke.

_'Oh, I see.'_ I say. I couldn't help but feel a little relieved at that. 

I'd realised that we'd somehow all come to a stop. I turned back to glance at the hunters, their eyes still on us.

_'Come on let's keep moving. The best place to be on a full moon isn't here.'_ Calum spoke, giving me a slight nudge.

We came to the creek from yesterday, it looked different transformed by the night. The moonlight reflected onto the pool of water. It was incredible. We stood there silently for a little while. For some reason, I found myself staring into the water. My reflection entrancing me. I hadn't seen my reflection before like this. The four of us looked so similar, the only thing that made each of us identifiable was the fur colour.

_'Strange, isn't it?'_ Ashton thinks from beside me. _'I'm still getting used to it as well.'_

I was starting to wonder how long Ashton had been a wolf for judging by his comment and the way he'd stumbled on which way to turn. It was clear anyhow that it hadn't been anywhere near Michael or Calum. I remembered that when I'd woken up that morning mentioning something about an incident? What if Ashton was why my parents were here? What would happen then?

I was tempted to ask him how long he'd be a wolf for, when Calum's voice came through, _'Alright I think it's time to go back now.'_

I felt a little disappointed, but if Calum said that we had to go back then I guess I didn't have a lot of choice. I had no idea how this forest worked yet, and with my parents wandering around here searching for wolves I wasn't ready to take my chances.

I followed along beside Ashton once more, as Michael and Calum lead us out of the forest. We come to a clearing.

_'Ugh Calum they're still following us.'_ Michael grumbles. I turn back to see that he's right. My parents have managed to follow us this far. I think Calum even made sure we came back a different way. They must've followed us all the way to the pond. Damn.

_'That's okay. I have an idea so they don't follow us back.'_ Calum spoke.

He takes off at speed, the rest of us take off after him. We run for a while until we come to a cave. It isn't the same one that we sheltered in during the rain. It's larger and covered with more fallen bits of plants and leaves than the other. A sea of luminescent green moss grows on the surface and it looks as though it hasn't been entered in years. I look at the others but I'm the only one hesitating. I guess this isn't the first time they'd been here.  

I follow them inside, expecting everything to be pitch black. Instead once my eyes adjusted, I could make out most details of things, not quite like you would in the day, but it was enough to at least see where we were going. The walls were surprisingly clean, pale markings traced along them in various patterns and designs. 

_'We're far enough in. It should be safe to shift back now.'_ Calum announced, breaking me from my inspection.

Was he sure about this? I knew I had to trust him, but what if my parents still saw us shift back in the cave?

I glanced around finding that the other three were standing there, human looking at me expectantly. I didn't have a lot of choice, the longer I delayed the more chance that we'd be spotted. If they saw the three of them still with a wolf they'd know they were werewolves.

_'Come on, Luke, it'll be fine.'_ Ashton says.

I nod. I concentrate for a moment, closing my eyes. When I open them, I find myself human again. 

_'Alright let's get out of here.'_ Calum whispers.

But how does Calum suggest we do that? I can still see them watching the cave from the outside. If they saw us now, they'd be able to put two and two together for sure. I would've thought that the plan was going to be to just wait them out until they eventually left. We could be here a while.

_'There's a back exit, come on. Luke.'_ Michael says, tugging on my sleeve and I realise that Ashton and Calum are already walking ahead in front of us. I pull my hoodie up so it covers my hair and face as much as possible. I notice the other guys are doing the same. We leave the cave in silence, and I'm relieved when we come out the other side and there's no sign of my parents. Calum pauses, holding his arm to stop us. He seems to be scanning the area.

_'Think we lost them?'_ I ask, starting to feel nervous that he might have caught the scent of them. 

_'Yeah.'_  Calum replies.

There seems to be a collective sigh of relief between the four of us, as we continue our way out of the forest. I can't help but watch my back to make sure we're truly alone still.

"So, does this mean my parents are tracking us?" I finally say, when I'm positive we're far enough away.

"It seems so." Calum sighs, I frown. "Don't worry Luke, maybe they aren't even looking for us."

I honestly hoped he was right. His words about them finding out and disowning me still lingered like a blaring reminder of what my not so distant future could be like if we didn't keep this a secret properly. Was it them my parents had been sent here for. Our conversation earlier had made it sound like who they were following was causing massive problems. It couldn't be these guys, I'd been hanging around with them for such a short time but I hadn't seen them do anything that I think would render my parents being sent here. I guess that was something we were going to need to find out.

A few more footsteps later and we walk out of the forest and back onto mine and Michael's street.

"You sure you don't want to stay with us tonight Luke?" Ashton asks, his eyes filled with worry.

Michael shakes his head and answers for me, "He can't. His stupid parents won't let him out on a full moon remember? Ah- no offence to your parents Luke..."

"None taken," I say, "I wish I could but Michael's right, if they find me missing I'll be a goner for sure."

Calum sighs, "I'm not happy about this either, being your first full moon and all but it's what we have to do to keep them from finding out."

"Well I guess we'll see you later then." Ashton sighs.

"Night Luke." Michael says.

"Goodnight." I call back with a grin, as I quickly race back down the street.

I felt amazing tonight, I kind of wanted to run around for another few hours, but I knew my parents were leaving and I had to go home before they got there. Sure, Michael and I had made that lump out of my pillows and sheets but I don't think it would be all the convincing to them. Especially when they had told me that I wasn't to go out on a full moon night.

I bolt across the driveway and up to my room's window. I wasn't so scared about getting back up there. I pushed off my feet and made a grab for the window sill holding myself there for a moment. The good feeling fades when I hear the car pull into the driveway, and see the lights illuminate the area that I'd just run through. I focus on getting back inside, I don't have much time. I pulled my arms further forward on the window sill, and lifted my weight up. Once I was steady I bolted inside the window landing on my floor in a crouched position. I quickly chucked all my clothes from my bed and leaped in it, pulling the covers tightly to my chest and pretending to be asleep.

I sit there for a moment just listening to my breath and heart thumping underneath the covers. I hear a click, then footsteps, some muffled words. The footsteps grow closer and I can hear the shift of the door handle as light floods into the room through the opening.

Through my half-closed eyes, I see the silhouette of my mother peek inside. The door closes again and the footsteps clomp away.

I pull the sheet off and let out a sigh. I was safe. I'd made it. Through both the full moon and my parents. If I could keep this up maybe they were never going to find out about me.

 


	13. Of Penguins And Lions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Christmas kind of held me up on updating this but here it is. Enjoy! ^^

"Here's your milkshakes boys." The flame haired waitress grinned as she passed the group of milkshakes over to our table and distributed them among us. She frowned when she reached the fourth one, "And this one? Is this yours too?"

"Oh, yeah it is, just put that one over there." Calum nodded at the waitress calmly. She gave him a strange look but placed the drink down anyway.

"Where's Michael?" I ask as the woman walked away and oddly glanced back at us once more confused by the extra drink.

"He's supposed to be here by now, but he's not responding to me at all." Calum frowned as he whirled the straw around the rim of his drink mindlessly.

"Have you tried texting him?" Ashton asked looking up from across the table, slight concern in his tone.

"Well, no..." Calum shook his head.

A moment later, he pulled out his phone and started typing away into it. He'd barely put the phone down when there's a small notification bing.

"That was quick." He mutters as he picks up the phone and scans over it for a moment.

"Hey, would you look at that he says his on his way."

"Do you think the bonds down then?" Ashton whispered.

Calum shook his head, "No, I think he was just ignoring me."

"He would do that?" I raised an eyebrow.

Calum shrugged, "Wouldn't be the first time."

With that, the three of us return to our milkshakes. I hear the twinkle of the metal door chimes hanging on the glass door as it slams. I looked up to find the top of a black hood entering the room. Something about seeing someone dressed like that put my senses on high alert. I tried to see their face over the booth, but the person had disappeared completely.

Ashton gave me a strange look as I lean to the side of the booth to try and catch their face.

“Hey guys, sorry I’m late.” A hooded figure spoke as they appeared from the side of the table. Without looking up properly, it sounded like Michael, but I could see a bandage on their right hand. That was odd, so maybe it wasn’t him.

I looked up just as he took the seat beside Calum and took of his hood revealing his once green hair was now a dark purple.

So, it was him. I still couldn't help but think that the bandage was odd. I'd started to think that bandages were kind of useless for us when we healed so fast.

Neither Ashton or Calum commented on either. Maybe Michael changing hair colour or wearing a bandage on his hand wasn't much of a deal to them it seemed.

"Nice hair." I grinned.

"He changes it like every full moon, you get used to it." Calum rolled his eyes.

"Not quite, but it keeps things interesting." Michael grinned. "But thanks."

"It looks cool, I like it." I nod.

Michael plays with his hair, "It's a little darker than I wanted it but it'll lighten up once the dye fades."

"I think it'll look amazing by then." Ashton nods and I agree with him. Michael grins at our approval.

"So now that we've all established that we like Michael's hair.... what should we do today after we've had lunch?" Calum asked.

"Oh yeah! About that, I was thinking we could go to the game centre" Michael said with a grin.

The game centre? I wonder what that was I hadn't heard it mentioned before?

"I don't know Michael, maybe we should go somewhere else..." Ashton said.

"Come on! It'll be fun!" Michael grinned. "Joe said he was getting in a new game this week and besides Luke hasn't been there before. He'll like it."

"Is that what this is about?" Calum laughed, "You just want to find out what it is."

"Yeah because Joe wouldn't tell me what it was! He told me I had to find it for myself." Michael protested with a pout, "And I haven't had time to drop by since it came in. He should've set it up by now."

"Well I guess that would be alright then." Ashton said, looking at Calum and me, "Are you guys in?"

"Whatever. It's fine by me." Calum shrugged, before glancing at Michael, "If it keeps this one happy then I'm happy."

I nodded, "Yeah, I'm kind of curious what this place is going to be like...."

"You're going to love it Luke!" Michael grins. He spends the rest of our time there explaining what was all there. I had to admit it did sound like fun.

After lunch, we came to a glass windowed building, I could see bright flashing lights and machines through the glass of the building. I guess this was the place.

We rode the elevator up to the second floor. As the door opens my eyes are assaulted immediately by an array of brightly coloured flashing lights. There's hundreds of machines in there; a mixture of arcade games and crane machines. Most of the crane machines are stacked full of both large and small plush toys, boxed characters or lollies. Noises erupt from them, I reach to cover my ears. This place is insane.

"Ooop, didn't think of that." Michael said, glancing over at me. "Sorry Luke."

Even with my ears covered, it took me a moment but I could dull the noises down to a tolerable level. I lowered my arms. "Nah, It's all good."

Michael grinned, "When did you get so clever?"

"Practice." I smiled. Calum had been teaching me how to do it, whilst we were at school. Sometimes the corridors would become too loud between classes so he’d been teaching me how to un-focus my hearing when it did. It wasn't perfect but I could at least make it bearable now.

We stop at a desk; we wait a moment because there's a late teens couple in front of us. The girl squeals in delight as the middle-aged shop keeper hands her a giant stuffed bear. I can't help but smile at them as she starts exclaiming how much she loved him. Then she asked the boyfriend to carry the bear. That was a little less cute.

"I get free passes on the games here, I kind of helped the shopkeeper out for a while when he wasn't doing too well." Michael says to me as we wait. Well I can't argue with some free games either. "It's usually enough to get a few goes of the crane machine and a few other things."

The couple start to move and I can hear them right to the elevator going on about the bear and how lucky they had been.

"Michael!" The man grinned throwing his arms up in the air as his attention turned to us.

"Joe!" He yelled back with as equal amount of enthusiasm. The two of them high five. I guess they were friends, no wonder Michael got free passes on the games here. They talk for a moment, in animated conversation that I can barely keep up on.

"Ah, hey! Ashton and Calum, nice to see you both." He says after a moment, then he looks at me, "Though, who might this be? I don't think I've seen you before."

"This is Luke, he only just moved here." Michael spoke for me. "I thought we should show him the best place in town."

"Of course, You and your friends are always welcome here." Joe grinned. "Give me a sec, I'll get you guys some game credits."

I noticed he punched a few numbers into the register, and passed a group of wristbands towards us. He grins at Michael, "The new game is here, but you're going to have to find it for yourself. I think you'll like this one the graphics and the music on it are amazing."

"Great, thanks Joe for this. You're the best."

"Not a problem, I owe you loads of them for helping me. Have fun guys."

"Shall we start with the crane machine then?" Calum asks as we walk away from the desk.

I looked around the room there were hundreds of them in here alone. I could see a group of photo booths and other games over the other side of the room. There was a group of teenage girls crowded around one of the crane games and a mixed group in their early twenties over on one of the racing car games.

"Yeah, sounds good." Ashton nods. "Which one though?"

Michael took off in front of us, looking in each of them. The three of us follow him, some of them are filled with boxes and plushies of various anime characters and animals. I pause for just a minute at one filled with small toy animals. I kind of want to laugh a little, what are we five-year old's? Calum stops behind me, "Yeah, How about this one?"

"Yeah! Those ones are really cute." Michael nods, walking back towards us.

Calum scans his wristband against the machine and I quickly realise that their all serious about this.

"I'll go first, hey?" He asks.

When no one protests, his attention focuses on the machine. I watch in amazement as Calum navigates the claw with extreme precision. On his first go it narrowly avoids the small dog that he is aiming for. He frowns and tries again, with no more luck. He steps away in frustration.

"Um...who's next?" Calum asks, looking at Ashton.

"Luke, do you want to try?" Ashton asks.

All eyes are on me, though I've never been good at this game. What have I got to lose.

"Ah, alright."

Calum shows me how to scan the wristband into the machine, and moves out of my way. I take a step forward, letting my hand rest on the joystick.

I take a deep breath. Which one do I want to try for? My eye lingers over the assortment of animals. I spot a penguin sticking up from the centre of the pile. That's probably the best one.

Time to concentrate, I can do this. Left, right. I think I've got it. I push the red button and watch as the silver contraption falls to the ground like a parachute. It opens and closes as if it's taking a deep breath. It clips onto the penguin and the crane begins to pick it up, my heart leaps, had I won something? The penguin wobbles as the crane reaches the top. Then it drops; falling straight back to the ground right on top of the pile. It was back almost where I'd left it. I groan. I remembered now why I hated these things, they were a roller coaster of emotions and difficult too. I don't think I'd won a thing out of them in my entire life. I don't know if it's just me but I swear this game hates me.

"Gosh I suck at this. I think you need to be an expert to get anything out of here." I sigh. I guess I should probably give one of the others a turn, my heart's not really in it to try again.

Michael steps forward, and gestures to himself with a grin. "That would be me."

I notice both Ashton and Calum nod from behind him. Maybe he really is an expert at this? Well if so, I may as well let him take this one. I jump out the way, and Michael takes control of the joystick.

"Now watch and learn Luke." He says, gesturing me to watch, "You had everything perfect almost, but you just needed to move a fraction over to catch him."

He moves the joystick carefully over the penguin toy, he moves it back and forth a few times. A few of which, I personally would've thought were perfect places to stop. I guess he was the expert after all, he'd have a better idea than I did, by the sounds of it. He finally brings it to a stop and presses the red button on the end of the joystick.

The silver claw drops into the pool of plush toys and closes on them. As the crane begins to lift I notice that he had managed to collect the penguin as well as the lion that it had fallen on to in one pick up. Amazingly they stayed in the claw until it reached the drop off area. The claw opened and like it had all been nothing, they fell into it.

I couldn't believe it, I'd never actually seen anyone win much on these before, sometimes maybe one item but Michael had picked up two things. He was amazing at this. He'd made it look easy.

"Here we go." Michael said with a grin. As he bent down and pulled them both out from the prize shoot. He offered the penguin to me and kept the lion for himself. I didn't argue with that, he'd earned it.

"You weren't kidding, were you?" I say, as I clutch the small penguin to my chest.

"There's a reason he's known as the crane game crusader." Calum smiled as he leaned up against one of the other machines.

"Crane game crusader?" I laugh.

"Yeah, that's Joe's name for me." He grins, "He thinks I'll run him out of these one day. I'm too good at it, I rarely lose."

"He's right, I don't think I've ever seen him lose in all the time I've known him." Ashton shook his head.

"Once." Calum said, "I've seen him lose once."

"Only because you distracted me!" Michael protested, "You wanted to see if I could lose."

Calum grinned. "Oh yeah, I did that, didn't I?"

"So technically I've never lost in front of anyone."

"So, that does mean that you have lost then?" I ask.

Michael laughs, "Plenty of times, I had to learn to be this awesome somehow."

"Whatever. Come on crane boy, enough of this let's have a go at the photo booth." Calum says.

"But Ash didn't get a turn?" Michael protested.

Ashton shook his head, "Nah, it's alright let's go take pictures in the photo booth."

I'm dragged by the others over to a multi-coloured photo both. A long green sheet ran across the back of it. I glanced at it skeptically wouldn't it wreck the photos?

"It's so we can change the background and decorate it. Kind of like a green screen in a movie." Ashton explains. "It's really cool you'll see."

The four of us squished in there. Pulling numerous silly faces. I couldn't help but think the pictures were going to be hilarious before we even did anything to them.

"We're all done here. Now we get to decorate them."

We move outside to the screens on the other side of the photo booth; Michael and Calum quickly start arguing over the decorations. Ashton stands back occasionally offering an opinion. I watch them, I had no idea about any of this stuff, it was best to leave it to the experts.

"Done?"

"Done."

I hear a few clicks and I notice a group of strips fall into the dispenser. Ashton pulls them out and starts handing them out to us.

"Here's your copy Luke." Ashton says as he passes one set to me.

I laugh at the pictures we look ridiculous, it appears Calum and Michael had drawn all over them and used a lot of the editing features in some we had big eyes others had cat and dog ears.

"Hah, I think these ones are our best ones yet!" Michael declares as he looks at his own copy.

"For sure!"

We walk around for a little more until we come to one of those dance machines. There are two sets of circles with a group of squares on the floor with different arrows pointing in different directions. Lights flash and energetic music pumps out. It looks a little intimidating. I think I played it a few times with my cousins on a dance mat at their place but this looks entirely different.

"Do you know how to play?" Ashton asks.

I shake my head, "Kind of, but it was a long time ago."

"Well it's time you had another go." Michael grinned.

Calum pushed me up on to the stand where Michael was already in position.

"Basically, you've just got to follow the movements on the screen. We'll start with an easy one."

The dance machine starts, it's a little difficult at first but as the song progresses I start to get the hang of it. There's so much co-ordination required in this. Michael still beat me, but I wasn't too far behind.

"Do you want another turn Luke?" Michael asks.

"I'm alright, you guys go." I say as I step down from the machine. We switch places and Ashton joins Michael up on the squares.

I go and sit with Calum who's leaning against the glass windows. I watch Michael and Ashton for a little while, until something catches my eye outside. I focus in, I could see a pony-tailed girl running through the crowd of people beneath us. She looked terrified. Something's not right about it.

I found myself moving towards the glass. The girl was small, but I could make her out racing through all the people. What was she running from? I see people moving and yelling at something back a few meters. The crowd seems to part around two people. My parents.

What on earth were they doing? Were they chasing after her?

"Luke?" Calum asks.

I pointed down to the events taking place outside. Calum follows my gaze and frowns.

"I guess we better follow them." Calum says before turning to Ashton and Michael whose game is only just ending as scores flash on the screen. "Come on, we're leaving."

Ashton looks confused and Michael frowns and looks like he's about to protest. Calum shakes his head at him. "The hunters are downstairs. They're following someone. We better find out what's happening."

Michael and Ashton glance at one another.

I nod.

"Alright, but then we're coming back up here, afterwards?" Michael says, "I still haven't played the new game yet."

"Fine, just get a move on would you." Calum shakes his head.

We bolt back to down stairs. It immediately became apparent that the game centre side of the footpath was as crowded as the other side I'd been watching. We looked through the swarm of people over to the other side. I wondered if maybe one of us should’ve stayed up in the game center where we would’ve had a clear view.

Yet, it seemed because of the large volume of people they hadn't managed to get very far. I could faintly see my parents disappearing around the corner on the other side of the road.

"That way." I say pointing in their direction.

We try to blend in with the rest of the crowd, by walking slightly separate from one another. Michael is closest to them and pulls back his black hoodie. Calum's a few paces in front of me, while Ashton's only a few behind. It doesn't take much for us to catch up though.

_'That looks like the girl I talked to.'_ Ashton frowns as he looks above the people. _'You know the one at Alex's.'_

I raise my neck to see better. Sure, she looked a little younger and her frizzy hair was tied into a ponytail but he was right she did. He had been the one talking the closest to her after all so he’d be able to recognise her better than Calum and I.

_'But why are they chasing her? She'd have to be a werewolf...'_ I frowned, thinking of that day. _'She's not like us, is she? You guys said the dogs like werewolves.'_

Calum frowned, barely looking back at us, _'Perhaps we were wrong about that, maybe it's just us.... I guess she could be something else though.'_

_'She could be human, you know guys. Hunters get mixed up all the time._ ' Michael shrugged, sounding disinterested. I would've thought after him being the one to originally be a hunter he'd be all over this.

_'I think I saw them go over there.'_ Ashton pointed so that we can see.

He bolted into the next street, Calum nodded at us and we followed after him. This street was much less crowded, we were almost alone. I could see three figures up ahead beyond us. The first running at full supernatural speed now.

There was no use keeping separate now, I caught up to Michael who had been in front of me in a flash. Calum and Ashton were close behind.

_'They turned again, quickly.'_ Michael said.

We made it to the street and I took the corner with Michael.

Yet, there wasn't a sign of anyone around, it was a dead end. The four of us glanced around. I could faintly smell the hint of werewolf and hunter but it only seemed to lead back the way that we had just came.

"We lost them."

******************

I was exhausted by the time I made it home in the afternoon. We'd kept searching and found nothing. The girl was gone and so were my parents. We returned to the game centre to find the new game for Michael; when we eventually found it, it turned out it was a guitar game and we'd spent the rest of the afternoon working out how to play it. I surprisingly wasn’t too bad at it.

Mum's car was in the drive when I returned, so I guess they had made it home. I walked up the stairs and inside.

"Thank goodness, your home Luke. I was getting worried." My mother says, appearing out of nowhere causing me to jump. "You weren't answering your phone or anything."

"Uh...why? I told you I was going out with my friends today?" I say, feeling slightly confused by her reaction. The way she'd said it made it sound like I'd left the house without telling her.

My mother shook her head. "Well we think we might have found a werewolf in town." She finally said.

So, that had to have been what they'd been doing in town today. So, was that girl like us? Why had the dogs acted like they did then? I'd never met them before and they hadn't carried on that way when I'd turned up? Was she different somehow? I was surprised Ashton hadn't picked up on her scent the other day.

My breath caught for a moment, was it possible that she had been the one that attacked me initially. What if it was? What if they found out I hadn't died from the wolf bite? Even if it wasn't, what would a new werewolf mean for us?

"Luke what's wrong?" Mum asks. I realise that I must have been staring off into space thinking about it.

"Everything's fine." I nod, as I turn away.

"If you know something-" She says.

"Nah, just the thought of actual werewolves in town is a little scary is all." I say lying only a little. I wasn't afraid of them because I thought they were things that shouldn't exist like my parents thought. From my perspective, the thought of there being other werewolves in town was still scary. Especially if it was like the one that attacked me. I didn't want to hear of someone being put into the same position I was with no one to save them.

"Anyway, what I meant to tell you is that your dad's been hurt-"

I turned around and stared at her for a moment. I try to find the words but my mouth stumbles over them a few times. Shouldn't that have come first?

"Wait, what?"


	14. Circles

The beeping machines echo repeatedly in my ears as I nervously walked the linoleum corridors. They're almost impossible to drown out, made worse by my enhanced hearing. My eyes scaled the vacant walls that were stripped of almost all personality besides the signs marking the room and ward numbers. It was easy to remember why I hated hospitals; every visit always seemed too soon from the last.

We'd been herded out of dad's room about ten minutes ago, the doctor had made us leave to run some tests. They still weren't sure what was wrong with him. I'd seen the doctors shaking their heads, unsure of what they could do.

I wasn't so sure either. When I'd first walked in the room and seen him for the first time it had been impossible not to notice the scratches that ran along the surface of his skin. Except for the translucence of his skin, it was easy to pretend to myself that he was just asleep. He wasn't conscious but the heart monitor told us he was alive. It didn't make things better though, it was hard not knowing exactly what was wrong.

All mum had mentioned was the werewolf and with no details of what had happened whatsoever. I couldn't help but wonder if it had something to do with a werewolf that then it wouldn't make much sense to bring him here? How could they help with something that they could barely understand? Whatever it was, she wouldn't explain much to me. I guess she knew what she was doing.

I'd decided to text Calum on the way over here. If it was something to do with the werewolf, then maybe he'd be able to help. He'd have to have more information on that kind of thing than my mum did. At least that's what I hoped. Texting wasn't the best way to pass on info for us but the bond hadn't been working properly as I could only hear snippets of what Calum was saying and vice versa.

We moved to sit on the plastic seats at the end of the corridor. I could only watch the nurses parade up and down as they went about their work. After a little while I noticed that there was a television playing an older movie from 80's or 90's on the screen. I tried to watch it but it seemed to be half way through and even when I strained my hearing I could barely make out what they were saying. So, I soon lost interest.

I tried to think of something else to do. I guess I could eat but I didn't feel like anything. My stomach was too crowded with butterflies. I glanced beside me at the now cold coffee and bag of chips that sat with it. I hadn't even opened the packet. Mum kept looking over at me, clearly worried by my behaviour. I just wasn't hungry.

"Luke, maybe you should eat..." She finally said.

I shook my head, cutting her off, "It's okay, I'm fine."

She frowned at me, for a moment. She looked as if she was about to reply when she let out a sigh as her phone buzzed in her bag. She quickly fished it out and took to scrolling through it. I gazed up at the ceiling, examining the small grooves in the plaster to calm myself. It wasn't helping much.

_'Alright I'm here. Can you meet me outside in the pickup zone?'_ Calum's voice rings in my ears clearly this time. It seemed the bond was working again. I could feel a sense of nervousness from him.

That's right, Calum had said he was going to meet me here to talk properly. I was grateful to him and nervous at the same time. What if this ended up being worse than I thought?

"Mum, I need to uh...step out for a moment." I say to her, my voice slightly strained. I felt a little guilty leaving her, "Are you fine by yourself?"

She patted me on the shoulder, and nodded, "It's okay, Luke. I'll wait right here."

I nod. "I'll be back soon."

Walking through the hospital was surreal, buzzers blared as room numbers lit up the screens at the top of the corridor. I could faintly hear the hushed conversations of visitors by bed-sides. Machines blared and whirred from the door of each room. The smell of disinfectant wafting through the corridors. I was starting to think that enhanced senses made hospitals worse. I passed a woman wheeling a large trolley that came up to shoulder height. The smell of food reached me, and I silently wished that I hadn't left that bag of chips behind if even hospital food was starting to smell okay.

When I reached the front door of the hospital, the whole drop off zone was illuminated with lights. It was almost night now and was practically empty. It was so unlike when we'd arrived earlier in the afternoon when it had been a hive of cars and activity. Now there was just a taxi waiting to pick up someone, a person smoking a cigarette and the security guard watching from the door.

Then I saw him standing there. His eyes widened in acknowledgement. As he raced over towards me. I saw the security guard at the door give us an odd glance.

I never thought I'd be as glad to see him as was did right now. Relief filled my chest and it was echoed back to me by him through the bond.

Calum wrapped his arms around me comfortingly as he pulled me into a hug. We remained there for a few moments and I could feel the tears threatening to fall down my face.

Eventually he pulled away, gazing at me sympathetically, "How is he?"

"Well-I don't know. They're not quite sure what's wrong with him..." I sighed, knowing well that he would probably already know how I felt, the bond was a dead-giveaway sometimes. I'd been trying to suppress my emotions so Ashton and Michael wouldn't end up racing over here as well. Michael especially. I wasn't too sure how good of a job I'd done, but a quick glance behind Calum told me that neither of them were here. So, I can't have been doing too bad.

Calum glanced behind us and frowned. I followed his gaze to the security guard, who was watching us intently. I felt Calum's breath on my ear as he whispered, "It seems the bonds down again. Let's go somewhere a little quieter...... I know just the place."

I looked back at him, and nodded. With the creepy security guard around I wasn't about to argue. Especially when there was a good chance our conversation was going to turn into werewolf business. We needed to be alone.

It seemed that Calum did in fact know where to go around here. I followed Calum out around the side of the hospital, there was a metal gate open and a sign reading Fairy garden on it. From the gate, there was a pebbled path that seemed to lead into a row of trees along the side of the building. Along the sides of the path were closed flower buds in bright colours. I figured they must look amazing during the day. Luminescent fairy lights had been strung everywhere. In the trees, I noticed a few little toy fairies had been strung on branches, whilst tiny plastic dinosaurs patrolled the ground. Every so often underneath the trees were small plaques declaring about faeries and magic living here. I guess this place was kept this way for the kids that visited.

"Are faeries real too?" I asked, gesturing to the sign.

Calum pulled a face at me, "Probably not. As far as I know werewolves are about it for real life supernatural creatures."

That meant zombies and vampires probably didn't exist either, I was slightly relieved at that. Those movies had always freaked me out a little, especially now that I knew supernatural things could be real. To be fair, werewolves had creeped me out a lot as well until I was one. Though it wasn't like the ones I knew were much like the movie ones.

"How did you know about this place anyway?" I ask as I gesture to our surroundings.

"You could say I've been here a couple of times." Calum said flatly. I noticed there was a distant look in his eyes as he said it.

Wordlessly, he pointed towards the stone seat at the end of the path, gesturing for me to sit. It was a little uncomfortable but I didn't want to complain. Hospitals didn't have too many suitable places to have private conversations. So, this was going to have to do. It was still better than the plastic ones from the corridor.

"So, fill me in again, what exactly happened?" Calum asked once we were seated.

I took a deep breath, I explained as much as I could about my dad's condition. I explained that mum had remained virtually silent over what had caused this. "She did mention that they'd found a werewolf in town right before she said it. So, I'm sure it was her, that girl that they were chasing. I think it's possible that she might be the one that attacked me in the first place."

I sensed fear from him, straight away even though we'd thought the bond was down. He shook his head, looking frustrated. "Geez, you're probably right. If so, I wonder why attacked your dad?"

I thought about it for a moment, there were similarities to what had happened to me, "Maybe if it is the same werewolf, they did it for the same reason they attacked me?"

Calum seemed to consider it for a moment, before nodding.

"True. If it is, I wonder what her game is." Calum frowned, "The only pattern I'm seeing is that you and your dad are both possible hunters. Though anyone that goes around attacking people for that is an idiot. No werewolf in their right mind would. It's more trouble than its worth."

"I guess you're right. Still it makes me consider that maybe my parents are right about werewolves or maybe we're like the only decent pack out there or something."

Calum shook his head, "This is just one or a few werewolves, Luke. Trust me, there's more packs out there like us."

"Really?"

Calum nods.

"Really. I'm sure you'll meet some of them one day." He sighs, "We see them from time to time, but not usually that often."

The prospect of meeting other werewolves terrified me a little but from what Calum said they didn't come across them to often so I guess it wasn't something to worry about right now. We had much bigger problems.

"I just wish I could tell whether he's going to be okay or not." I sigh, sinking back into the seat, "Mum and the doctors won't tell me too much, they just keep saying his alive and they don't know what's wrong."

Calum looked away, "It might be risky but perhaps I could find out for you."

I gave him a confused glance, there was no way he could find out more than the doctors could, "How?"

"You think he was attacked by a werewolf, right?"

"Yeah....but even if there was something you could do, shouldn't you be staying out of this?" I looked at him. I wasn't blowing everything over my dad no matter how much Calum claimed he could help.

"Probably, but it'll only take a few moments and I should be able to tell his condition pretty easily." Calum said as if it was no big deal.

I thought of what happened in the clearing. I was suddenly sure it had been Calum who had checked me out after I was attacked, it had hurt and felt weird, "You're not going to uh..." How could I describe what I'd felt that day?

Calum quickly shook his head, "No way. That was different."

He let out a sigh, "If someone's been hurt by a werewolf I can tell from touch their condition. In your case, I could tell, that you'd been badly bitten and injured too. So, I had to uh...do a little more. It was clear the venom was strong, so I was checking if it would even be possible for you to survive if I was to make you like us. I was worried we were too late. You see, there's only a certain time limit on what you have to turn someone and it varies." Calum frowned, but he spoke the next part quietly, "And not everyone survives."

The words lingered in the air for a moment. Things could've been so different now.

"So, what about dad then?"

Calum sighed, "Well from what your describing, I'd say there's a good chance he'll be fine once the venom wears off. It might take a few days though without enhanced healing. If not there's a good chance he'll end up like us."

I stared at him for a moment. I hadn't considered that possibility. What would I do then? I'd have to tell him obviously but what about mum and the hunters? I bit my lip in frustration, this could be tough.

Calum continued, "It's hard to say... of course. I mean, it depends on quite a few factors if she did bite him. Like, if she was in wolf or human form; and whether she's a natural born or not. It's complicated."

"What's the difference?" I asked, trying to keep my voice calm. I could hear it almost turning into a yell though.

"Well neither is good." Calum frowned, "If she was in wolf form it's most likely the poisonous sort of bite; the one that can possibly kill you. Though, I'd say if he's still alive it's not the worst case like yours was. However, if she's a natural born and was in human form, then she might have turned him."

I looked down at the ground.

"You're a natural born, right? So, that's what you can do?" I asked considering, what I could remember him telling me up to now.

"Yeah," Calum nodded, "I mean it's possible that someone that's not a natural born can do both of those things as well but it's rare. Other than that, it's usually only Alpha's or Beta's that have at some point been an Alpha."

I nodded, not sure I understood what he was talking about. Though it was clear my dad was either going to be okay or the reason that he wasn't dead right now was because she'd turned him. Obviously, I was hoping for the first one.

"Anyway, if I'm going to find out anything. I probably should go up there before visiting hours' finish." He sighed. "If this is all okay with you of course?"

"Yeah," I nodded, despite being unsure still if this was a good idea, "If there's a way to tell then I want to know. Though are you sure they won't be able to find out about us?"

"Positive." He sighed, he gave me a half-smile, "Luke you worry too much."

"Not really." I protested with a shrug. "I'm kind of new to all this and besides we all know what will happen if my parents find out, I think I have a right to worry." I looked at him.

"Fair point." Calum said, with a half-smile, "but seriously this is nothing, it'll be fine."

After that the two of us headed for the ward that my dad was in. The security guard gave us an odd glance as we re-entered but didn't stop us. I somehow felt braver walking back through the hospital corridors and into the ward with him. It was so much easier to dull the sounds out.

When we eventually made it up there, Mum was no longer sitting in the seat where we'd be earlier. She must be in the room. To confirm my suspicions the nurse that had been in the room earlier nodded and pointed down the hall. _So much for mum staying in the same place_ , I thought.

As we came to the door, I sucked in a deep breath preparing myself for what was inside. I felt Calum give my hand a gentle squeeze. For some reason, it seemed to work at calming me. As we pushed past the thick green medical curtain into the dimly lit room, I realised the room wasn't much different to how it had been when I'd left. My dad was hooked up to a few machines that I couldn't be sure what any of them were doing. I just knew they were keeping him alive. I had to trust that the doctors and nurses knew what they were doing.

As I'd expected, Mum gave Calum an odd look as he joined us. I guess it was probably strange for me to turn back up with a random person she'd never seen before when we were in a hospital for my dad.

"Mum, this is Cole..." I say, "I bumped into him when I was downstairs. He heard what happened to dad and just wanted to make sure he was okay."

"I hope you don't mind...I was just passing by." He said with a nod affirming my story.

"Not at all, your Luke's friend, right? The one I talked to on the phone to when Luke hurt himself?" She said as Calum nodded, "I've heard a lot about you."

"Yeah, hopefully it's all been good." He said as he shot a charming smile at her.

"Of course," She smiled back, "Thanks for looking after Luke, Cole. I'm glad that he has such great friends here. It's not easy for him moving so much."

I felt my cheeks growing red, why did she have to carry on like that. It didn't seem to faze Calum though.

"No problem." Calum nodded. "Luke's great."

Mum asks us if we want to sit down, and we do. I can't help but wonder when Calum's going to ever do what he said. Instead he seems to decide to strike up a conversation with my mum., I watch in amazement as the two of them manage to converse easily with one another. If only mum knew she was talking to a werewolf she probably wouldn't be so friendly.

I hear the door swing open, and a woman dressed in a light blue nurse's uniform pokes her head in the door. Her eyes dart over the three of us before resting on mum.

"Can we speak with you for a moment?" The nurse asked, "Uh...outside."

"Oh, yeah sure." She nodded, she gave an unsure glance at Calum and me. "You boys stay right here."

I nodded, realising this was our chance if he was waiting for mum to leave. My gaze flickered to Calum who watched intently until the door closed behind her.

The moment my mum left, Calum stood up. His eyes flickered towards the door one last time before he closed them. He took my dad's hand gently, holding it in his palm. I kept looking back at the door, worried my mum or one of the nurses might come back in. Nothing seemed to happen for a moment. I wasn't sure he was doing anything at all. Suddenly, his eyes flashed open with golden and a look of relief crossed his face.

"It looks to me like he'll be fine Luke." Calum whispered.

"Really?" I whispered back.

Calum nods, "Yeah, it seems that he wasn't bitten badly enough to do any permanent damage. I can't tell so much whether it was a natural born or not, but I think once the venom wears off the wounds should heal up okay. Right now, this is the best place for him."

I let out a sigh of relief, and let myself fall back into the cushioning of the chair.

"He's going to be fine." I say aloud as I lean into my chair. It felt so good to say that.

I hear the door open again and the light above us is turned on. I blink holding my hand over my eyes as I wait for the room to adjust. I notice Calum do the same. I turn my head back towards the door, when I start to hear footsteps.

"Alright Luke, we're going to go home now." Mum said walking back into the room, and collecting her handbag from the floor. She gave us an odd look, especially Calum who was still standing up.

"So was I." Calum nodded. "I was just telling Luke that I needed to be home soon."

I nodded in affirmation.

"Oh, in that case I can drop you off home?" She asked.

Calum quickly shook his head, "No, I'm fine thanks. My place isn't too far from here anyway."

"You sure?"

"Positive. Thanks a lot though."

Mum looked disappointed, she liked to be helpful to others. Especially to people who were my friends as it seemed to happen every place that we moved to.

They managed to strike up a conversation again on the way out. I was impressed, I would've thought that Calum wouldn't have told her anything like he'd acted when we first met. So, for him to seemingly take every chance to talk to her was surprising.

"Well I guess, I'll see you guys later." Calum said as he walked away. "See you at school tomorrow Luke. "

"Yeah, see you then." I agreed as I waved back to him.

_'Thank you.'_ I added silently, though I was unsure if the bond was down again. He nodded back at me though, so maybe he did hear me.

"He was nice." Mum commented as he left and we continued to walk.

I felt a hint of satisfaction come through the bond and knew that Calum had heard her.

"Yeah, he is." I agree.

My stomach sunk, when I realised that it was just mum and I now. Both of us were silent. There was no one to distract me anymore, despite feeling a lot calmer about dad. I was still scared Calum was wrong and I should be expecting the worst right now.

We walk to our car parked across the road in the parking station. Mum starts the ignition and I lean back into the seat, and take a deep breath.

"You know we can train you, so you'll be more prepared if you come across a werewolf." My mother says suddenly as we pull out of the car park.

I wanted to hit my head against the back of the car seat. Not this. She couldn't possibly understand that I was well prepared against them, considering I was one myself. I wasn't about to tell her that though.

I pulled tighter on my seatbelt and stared out the window, "Nah, I'm too busy with school and learning my way around, maybe later down the track once I've settled in."

Maybe never. I think.

"Please think about it and decide soon Luke. I know you might be a bit scared after what's happened, but we'll need all the help we can get, if you're willing to help us out."

The choice was simple. I just didn't have the words to tell her that I had no wish to be involved with the hunters. I couldn't tell her the true reason of course. Perhaps a little while back before any of this I would've agreed in a heartbeat but now with so much on the line I couldn't.

"As I said, I'll think about it." I say, as she turns into the driveway. I knew I'd have to have a proper answer sooner or later, but for now this suited me.

"Maybe you might be able to ask your friends too."

"I don't think they'd be interested." I say quickly. Considering Michael had been a hunter and left, he would never go back to them even if he wasn't a werewolf as he'd quit before then. If only they knew my friends were the things they were hunting.

"Besides, why would I want to do or ask my friends to do something my dad almost died doing. I mean, that's what happened here isn't it?" I said quietly.

"It was." She sighed, tapping on the steering wheel as we wait at the lights, she glances at me, "I'm sorry, it's a bit soon after what happened to be asking about this, isn't it?"

I nod.

"But seriously you should think about it." She says as the light changes over to green, and the car begins to accelerate, "We'll talk about it more once your dad gets better."

I stared out the window, part of me hoped it be a long time until we had that conversation. It obviously wasn't that I didn't want my dad to get better but I didn't look forward to that.

She parks the car in the driveway, hopefully ending this pointless discussion for at least a little longer. I don't give her a chance to continue. I quickly jump out the car and quickly close it behind me, using my key to get in.

Once inside, I head back to my room. Throwing myself backwards onto the bed. I was exhausted. I think I'd started to fall asleep when Calum's voice rings through my ears, ' _Sorry_ _to_ _bother_ _you_ _Luke after what's happened, but can you get yourself out here? We're meeting in the park across from your place.'_

It sounded kind of important, I guess I didn't have a lot of choice. Sneaking out the house late at night was sure becoming my thing. What difference would another night of it make? Besides it was good practice for full moon's. I was a bit confused considering since I'd only been with Calum a short time ago, but if he needed to see me then I couldn't argue.

Without hesitation, this time, I grabbed my black jacket and climbed out the window. After having done this with Michael on the full moon it seemed way less intimidating than it had last time. He was right the worst that could happen was that I'd hurt myself, and if I did it would heal before I could worry too much about it.

I soon felt the grass beneath me as I landed on the ground. Now that I was out I had to be careful. I treaded softly keeping my eyes out for any sign of movement from my mum. There was none.

I dashed across to the park on the other side of the road directly across from my house. I wasn't surprised to find waiting there was all three of them. The closer I got the more I could tell how upset Calum was. Michael and Ashton didn't seem to know what was going on yet, but I could sense their concern as to why Calum had called a meeting so suddenly.

"I see you made it out alright?" Michael grinned at me as I joined them in a circle on the grass.

"Yeah, I did it all by myself." I nodded.

"He had bets that one of us was going to have to go and get you. " Calum said with a slight eye roll.

"Did not! " Michael yelled, Calum glared at him, "Alright so maybe I did. "

"So, what's up Calum?" Ashton asked changing the subject from me, he sounded tired.

"The hunters are getting closer to us." Calum frowned. "Mum showed me this when I got home."

He pulled out a newspaper and displayed it in front of us. On the picture was something suggesting that people look out for wolves and to contact a certain number immediately. I blinked a few times, it was my mum's mobile number.

"Mum." I frowned. "That's her number."

The others frown at me. I could understand why, that meant that if anyone saw us they had a direct line to the hunters. I frowned as I looked down the page, there was someone who had claimed to be attacked by a wolf. I thought of my dad today as well. The two of us hadn't been the only ones it seemed.

"Ugh. They're smarter than we thought." Michael groaned, "They're trying to make this harder for us to get around."

"We're just going to have to try and avoid people seeing us as wolves while we're out then." Calum shrugs.

Ashton shook his head, "How? We sometimes see hikers, what if one of them reports us?"

"We'll be more careful. We always are, aren't we?" Calum sighs.

"I guess so, but if this gets the whole town on a wolf chase. Then where will we be?" Michael frowns.

Michael was right, we could be in a lot of trouble. If people thought that the wolves around here were attacking, they'd want them gone straight away. It was the same way people were always complaining about people getting attacked by sharks on the coast. Crazy people would try and kill us as soon as they saw one. We could try not shifting, which was fine except that on the full moon we wouldn't have an option.

I sighed, "Plus, I feel like my parents are going to be even more onto us now, since my dad was attacked by them."

"The wolf attacked your dad?" Michael yelled in surprise, obviously, Calum hadn't told him or Ashton yet. He was probably going to get to that while we were here. I guess they were going to need to find out sometime.

I nodded. "He was just badly injured."

"He'll heal pretty quick, the poison from the bite was only enough to paralyse not to kill or do any other kind of damage." Calum nodded. "Luke and I were at the hospital before this."

"It still attacked him though and if he's in hospital overnight, are they going to be annoyed or what?" Michael frowned. "They'll have hundreds of hunters here before we even know it."

Hundreds? I stare blankly for a moment. I couldn't help but feel we were doomed. We were barely making it around with my parents.

"Michael." Calum hissed.

"Hundreds, are you serious? We're not even sure we can handle two." Ashton says, his eyes wide. I nod in agreement.

"I'll think of something." Calum said.

"Maybe we should-" Michael starts to say.

Calum shook his head, as if knowing what Michael was about to say, "No way, not yet."

Michael frowned. "We'll need to-"

"Michael enough, things aren't that way it's too early to talk like that." Calum broke him off with an icy glare. "We've talked about this."

He backed down straight away as if Calum had taped duct tape over his mouth with just those words. A guilty look crossed Calum's face as he turned to us.

"I guess we better at least be more careful. If you can help it, don't go out into the forest alone. We need to stay out of there as much as possible." Calum said. "There's safety in numbers but I think we should avoid being out there except for full moons."

Michael frowned, his voice small like he was struggling to speak, "But-"

"I know it gets uncomfortable if we haven't shifted for a while but we're going to have to deal with it."

I hadn't heard that one. I guess it was the reason we went out there most afternoons.

"I think that's all." Calum said, "Unless anyone else has anything they'd like to share."

The rest of us shake our heads.

"Night everyone. " I say as the four of us separate. Ashton and Calum to the other side of the park and Michael and I leave the same way.

Back at my place, I pushed the window open and pulled myself over the ledge I had one foot still on the windowsill when I heard the jingle of the door knob and froze.

The door opened, pouring the light from the corridor into my room. No, not now. I quickly put the remaining foot firmly on the floor before she could see me climbing back in.

"Luke what are you doing?" My mother asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Uh-" I closed the window behind me. "Just checking the weather...."

I saw her eyes rest suspiciously on me, but she didn't say a word.

"Whatever, uh did you want something to eat?" She asked.

I shook my head quickly, "No thanks, I'm not hungry."

"Alright then, Goodnight Luke." She sighs as she closes the door behind her.

"Goodnight." I sigh. 

I collapsed onto my bed. I hated lying to her so much, I hated knowing what that wolf had done to my dad. Yet it was just impossible to tell the truth to them about all of this when the risk was that they'd never speak to me again.


	15. The Girl Who Cried Wolf

"In the Yellowstone park in North America, there is a pack of wolves known as the Druids who live here. They are under constant threat...."

I sneak into the dimly lit classroom. It seemed that class had already started despite being just after the bell. A quick glance at the clock on the wall affirmed that. Class had only started not even five minutes ago, I scanned the room and soon spotted Calum who waved over from our bench. Michael beside him, looked like he was struggling not to fall asleep.

The teacher barely glanced up at me as I saw her tick my name off the class roll. She had a massive pile of papers beside her and seemed to be marking them. I guessed by the appearance of the projector she was letting a movie take us today.

Trying not to draw attention to myself, I walk around the back of the benches until I join them at ours. It quickly becomes noticeable the absence of any of Ashton's belongings, he didn't seem to be here yet either. I guess, he was running late as well. I sit on the last stool in the row, and look up at the projector screen, where a group of wolves were chasing one another around the screen. Well it looked as though we were learning about wolves today.

I glanced over at Calum, who I'd sat next to. "It's very educational." He whispered with an eye-roll.

Michael yawns, "It's boring actually." He says from the other side in a whisper, "She showed us this video last year."

"Well yeah, what do you expect. Documentaries usually are." Calum moaned.

Michael shrugged, "Well they could at least make good ones on wolves."

I sigh, and look up at the screen again. I guess, I probably should pay attention in case there’s a test. It takes me a second to realise I can understand what they're saying as if they were talking in English. It's just a group of howls but they make sense to me.

I blinked, before muttering, "I understand them."

"We all can." Calum nods, "I mean it makes sense when you think about it."

“Yeah.” I nodded. I was slightly amazed by this new ability.  

"So, anyway, why are you so late, Luke?" Michael whispered, "I mean so's Ashton, but we thought the two of you must've been together. Neither of you were answering."

I guess the bond was down. No wonder no-one replied when I said that I was running late and I had something to tell them. Of course, a jolt of memory reminded me why I'd been held up this morning.

"I have to show you guys something." I say in a rush.

I dived into my bag that was seated on the ground below me, and pulled my phone out. I quickly scrolled through it to find what I wanted and passed it across to them. They both stared at the image on the screen for a moment, before looking up at me with confused expressions.

"Okay some files with mine and Cal's names on them?" Michael raised an eyebrow, "The deal is?"

Calum nudged him as his eyes focused on me, "Luke what are these? Where did you find them?"

I took a deep breath, "They were files I found sitting in mum's study."

"No way." Michael muttered. His eyes widened as he zoomed into the photo and scrolled around it as if he could open the file and read it that way.

"What do they say Luke?" Calum asked, his voice calm. "Did you get a chance to read them?"

"Well I barely skimmed over them, " I say. "I only had enough time to snap a photo." I said as I tried to keep my voice down. "I didn't read them but it looks like it's all the information the hunters have on the two of you."

"We need to take a better look at them." Calum nodded. "Are we able to come over or can you get your hands on them?"

I didn't like the idea of taking them. If mum found them missing she'd work out that I'd stolen them for sure. She wasn't going to be home today so having everyone over sounded a lot easier than taking them.

"Mum won't be home till late like six or something." I nod, "She has some meeting all day and then she's going to see dad in the hospital. I guess if everyone came over, we could look together."

My thoughts returned to my dad. He was doing a lot better already and they were supposed to be discharging him soon. He'd regained most of his muscle movements overnight. As Calum, had said the poison from the bite that had paralysed him had almost worn off. Part of me wished that I had been that lucky.  _Then you probably would've been training to be a hunter right now._  I thought with a horrible sink. I wasn't sure which was worse.

Michael nodded, "Good idea, then we'll go to the movies afterwards like we planned. There's that new one out-"

"Boys, I sure hope you're watching the documentary." The teacher clacked, breaking Michael off. "It's important and relevant considering the recent sightings in our area."

"Yes, Miss." The three of us said quickly.

She nodded, and returned to her papers. I could hear a few of the other groups striking up whispered conversations about the appearance of wolves here. The three of us glanced at each other. We were right about the people in town becoming worried by this. We could be in a lot of danger if someone took it too far.

Calum passed my phone back over.

"It sounds like a plan." He agreed quietly.

****************

I instantly felt awkward as we arrived at my house. As anticipated, mum's car wasn't in the driveway. Ashton had turned up to school after first period. When we'd showed him, he'd seemed just as worried by it as the rest of us had been despite neither of the files relating to him.

There was a nervousness among the four of us as we entered. I think we were all afraid of what we might uncover through this.

"Wow. So, this is what the rest of the place looks like." Michael commented, as he followed me into the hallway, "I guess I don't usually come through the front door."

Calum glanced at him.

"Well hey, I don't. The window at Luke's room is much easier. Less chance of getting caught."

"So where are they Luke?" Ashton asked, ignoring Michael.

"If they're still there, they should be downstairs in mum's study." I explained.

"I guess we better hurry and have a look then, we don't know when your mum will be home." Calum said.

I nodded and the guys followed me down into the study. Sure enough, the three files were still sitting there right where I'd left them. A slight wave of panic came over me. This was totally wrong, and here I was leading the guys straight to it. Had it been wrong to tell them?

No, if these files had Calum and Michael's names on them we had the right to look. We needed to know what my mum knew about them.

I'd been petrified this morning when I'd found them. Mum had sent me down there to grab her notebook again, when they’d caught my eye. Calum and Michael's names were typed in thick black font on two of the files. None of it was written in either of my parents handwriting. I wasn't sure of the writer, but I was certain it had something to do with the hunters.

"This is them, right?" Calum frowned, as he approached the desk. His eyes landing on the files. They were lemon yellow and hard to miss.

I nodded. As Calum and Michael both rifled through the files while Ashton and I stood back. I noticed that there was a third one, that I must've missed this morning. With the appearance of a third file, I expected to find Ashton's name on it but instead it had a girl's name. I didn't recognize it though. I moved closer to look.

However, Calum opened the one on top first. I noticed, there was a case file on the first page, listing basic details. There were hand-scribbled notes that looked like they'd been taken whilst someone was observing them as they didn’t look too complete. There were no pictures thankfully, that part of the file was blank. The second one, Michael's was the same but it had remarkably a lot less hand scribbled information as a lot of it was typed.

"Let me see." Calum spoke, dragging Michael's file towards him just as he went to grab it. Michael held his hand out to him to take the file, but Calum pulled it away as he sat down in the office chair to read it.

"What does it say?" Michael asked, leaning over the table as if he could see what it said from his spot.

"Let's see...Originally a hunter, but was led astray by an alpha werewolf, Calum. Bitten and accepted willingly. Traitor of the highest level. Efforts were made to prevent this, but have since been abandoned. A serious danger to our kind." He said as he read it dramatically.

Michael laughed, as he leaned against the desk, "Come on. That is ridiculous. Let’s see here they forgot the part that the werewolf was my friend before I became a hunter. So, I wasn't _'led astray'_. I like the part where I'm a serious danger though, that's hilarious. Honestly if they leave us alone, I'll leave them alone."

"Alright serious danger, let's see what mine says." Calum says placing Michael's file back on the table. He looks at him in challenge, as if to say can you do better?

Michael picks up the file, and does his own reading of Calum's file with just as much flair and dramatics as Calum had with his, "A natural born werewolf, suspected Alpha....Well at least they got that right. Really just says that you bit me...and the usual stuff about you being an evil monster especially for what happened with me...." Michael scans the page.

"What else is there?" Calum asks, noticing that his still reading and not actually announcing it to the rest of us.

Michael's eyes flicker up towards him for a moment before falling back to the page.

"Hey look you're a serious danger too." Michael grins after a moment more of reading. "They're not very original."

"All jokes aside this is actually pretty serious. I had no idea hunters actually had files on us." Calum frowns. "I just figured they followed after us, and left it at that."

"Appears not." Michael frowned, "But this was all such a long time ago, it even says that they gave up on us. Why would they be back?"

"File number three might just have the answer to that." Ashton says, tapping on the now open third file. I hadn't realised that he'd been reading the other file while we'd been reading theirs. I'd almost forgotten about it, myself.

He pushed the file towards the three of us. I read the name again, Zoe. It didn't have a last name recorded though. Surprisingly there was a picture on this one, of a girl only in her early teens. It looked rather candid. I was kind of glad there wasn't a picture on Calum's or Michael's. It meant it was less likely they'd be found. Especially considering Calum had been near my mum. It also decreased the chances that they were the reason my parents were here. I looked at it again, she had different colour hair, the girl in the picture was younger but some of the features were recognizable to the girl we'd seen.

"It had to be her, wasn't it?" I say.

I notice Calum nods.

"Seems you weren't the only one." Ashton frowns, pointing to the handful of news articles sitting in the file. I scanned over them, laying out on the desk so the others could read them. They all shared something in common, people found with poison in their systems, suspected to be from rare snake bites or animal attacks. I knew better, if they were in here, these were all in fact werewolf related. All people who'd been in the similar position as me. I realised with a horrible sink in my stomach that I would've been just another article in the file had Calum not done what he had.

"Whoa, she has been busy." I say.

"She sure has." Ashton agreed.

Calum shook his head, "There has to be something wrong with her. It doesn't even look like she's been trying to cover things up. We all know what happens on the full moon and what lone wolves can be like...but this."

A lone wolf, that was a wolf without a pack. I remember Michael saying that it made you more of a problem to hunters. That had been why Calum had been in trouble with them before. I found the whole thing kind of ridiculous considering they didn't usually choose it. You can't choose something you were born with.

"She's twice as dangerous." Calum sighs, "Lone wolves are usually either rebellious or still trying to sort this whole thing out. So, to have one like this around is a disaster."

"I'm curious though, she must know Alex somehow." Ashton frowned. "I wonder if she has anything to do with this."

"It's not completely unusual. Alex is a vet so a lot of people in town know her." Michael says.

"True, but there was something in the way that girl asked me to see her." Ashton sighed, "Ugh, I'm probably reading into it too much."

"I guess our biggest concern here is that we'll get blamed for her going around and doing this to people." Calum frowned.

"For once, I can totally understand the hunters going against her." Michael says.

Calum nods, "Same. But she's a danger to us as well, as you've seen." He looks at me.

I had seen, even though I could now heal much faster, the bite marks from both the wolf and Calum were still visible on my skin to some degree. Both had faded, but there were still two paler sections of skin that had a scar like mark that suggested something had happened there. Calum had assured me that they'd heal eventually but right now they still served as a reminder of what the other wolf did. My dad too. I'd noticed Ashton still had a similar mark on his arm. I wasn't so sure where it had come from.

"Sure, she does look like the girl we saw them following but she didn't look like she'd hurt a fly." Michael protests.

"I don't think she's completely innocent." I point out. "Think what she did to my dad and me."

Calum nods, "I'm with Luke, her file matches up. From those news articles to attacking Luke and his dad, she sounds like our lone wolf."

He should have really said, that she'd been trying to kill Luke, but I decided against pointing that out. I was trying my hardest to forget what happened that day.

"Well at least we know, that incident isn't why they're here." Michael sighs, glancing at Calum.

They'd brought this up before but neither had really elaborated on it.

"Yeah, me too." Calum nods, before his eyes fall on Ashton and me. "Though I'm still worried what will happen if they find out about the two of you."

I know I've been avoiding my family because their hunters, but was there something more serious that I was missing here?

He looks directly at me, clearly noticing my confusion, "We're not supposed to turn too many people, they let me off over Michael. Still, after that they might not be so lenient about you both. Gosh, I should've thought of this earlier. I'd almost forgotten about that, it was never a problem until recently."

I looked at Ashton, the weight of Calum's words hitting him as well as myself. This wasn't a game anymore; the two of us had to make sure we weren't discovered. At present, the hunters didn't quite know about us. They had to know there was a group of four wolves in town though. So, I didn't like our chances of staying out of trouble for long with hunters around. I pushed that thought away as Calum started to talk again.

"Don't worry, I don't regret turning you guys for even a second." He nodded, as he ran his hand through his hair in obvious frustration, "I just forgot until now about their thoughts on packs of more than two. We've survived this long, we'll make it work."

"So basically, if they find out about Luke and me, you're back on the hunter's radar." Ashton frowned.

Calum nodded guilty, "Possibly, but it'll be fine I think it'll take them a while to find out about the two of you."  
I hoped he was right, but I trusted Calum enough by now to believe him.

"So, I guess this is all we can get from these now." Michael sighs as he puts the file back down.

"Hmmm... well now that we know who our lone wolf is, and the most likely reason that the hunters are here? What are we going to do?" Ashton asks.

"Let her get found out herself." I mutter.

"I don't think we have enough time for that. They might catch onto us by then." Calum frowns, "I think we need to find her, have a talk and warn her about the hunters."

Michael was quiet but Ashton shook his head, "Are you crazy? If it is her, she almost killed Luke remember?"

"Because she thought I was a hunter. It'll be alright." I nod, my voice shaking slightly. I hoped it would be, but there was no way to tell.

Calum nods, "We need to at least try, she might just be acting out and just need a friend right now. Is everyone okay with it?"

"Sure, if it decreases the chances of the hunter's finding out about us." Ashton nods.

I nod as well.

"I guess we're not going to the movies then?" Michael frowned.

Calum shook his head, "This is a little more important. We'll go to the movies another day."

"But come on guys, I've been waiting for this all week." Michael yelled in protest.

I was confused, why would going to the movies take priority over possibly sorting out the problems with the werewolf.

"Well you can go by yourself if you want." Ashton glanced at him.

Michael pouted, "But I wanted to see it with you guys."

"Which we will, just not today." I add.

There's the sound of a car's ignition pulling into the driveway. The four of us freeze. I strain to listen. Oh no, please not now.  

"Your mum?" Michael asks, confirming what I'd heard.

"I think so. Quick, she can't find us down here." I spoke hurriedly. "Go up the stairs, we should be able to make it into the kitchen before she makes it inside."

"Right." Calum nodded.

A few seconds, and the four of us are up the stairs. I was grateful for our extra speed, as it meant we could clear the room quickly. We head into the kitchen.

_'Alright, just act natural.'_ Calum thinks through. A hint of relief went through me that for now at least, the bond was working.

Hard to act natural when everything could go wrong if she even gets an inkling about us. When she’d met just Calum it had been bad enough. I need to relax, everyone's depending on me right now to make sure she doesn't know what we're here for.

My heartbeat quickens as I hear the keys clink and her footsteps on the floorboards. The four of us try to make things look natural. I start pretending to look through the cupboards and the guys start up a conversation over the bench.

"Luke? Are you home?" I hear a voice call.

"Yeah." I reply, "I'm in the kitchen."

The footsteps grow closer, and my mother appears at the kitchen door. She pauses mid step, in surprise. "Oh. Hi Cole and....uh...sorry I don't know your names."

"Yeah, this is uh...Alex and Ashton." I say, pointing to the two of them.

"Nice to finally meet you both." She nodded with a smile.

Michael nods.

"It's nice to meet you too." Ashton says. The nervousness obvious in his voice. I guess he didn't exactly have the best image of my mum from the rest of us.

"We were just heading in town to watch a movie. I uh...forgot my wallet. I left it on the table..." I say quickly, as I fish it from my pocket and show it to her.

"Oh, okay then, have a nice time boys." She nods. "Which one are you going to see?"

"Uh..."

"We haven't decided yet." Calum jumps in quickly. "We're going to decide when we get there."

The rest of us nod quickly.

"I see." She says. "Well see you all later, I have some work I need to do."

She leaves the room, and there's a collective sigh of relief from the four of us.

_'That was a close one.'_ I say to the others, as I relax my shoulders.

_'For sure.'_ Calum nods _, 'As long as she doesn't know what we did, we're okay.'_

_'Just because she saw us doesn't mean she's going to find out though.'_ Michael shrugs.

_'Well she didn't see us in there. So, I think we should be safe.'_ I say.

_'Yeah, lucky we heard her coming besides you did fine Luke.'_ Calum nods,  _'You handled it well.'_

Ashton nods and Michael shrugs.

Calums sighs,  _'Anyway, let’s go, we have a lone wolf to find.’_


	16. The Lone Wolf

We’d split into two groups once we left my place, Michael and Ashton had left in one direction whilst I stayed with Calum. One thing had struck me as odd though, the whole time since we'd made plans Michael had continued to protest about the whole idea, saying he'd prefer that we went to see the movie. Calum had kept shutting him down insisting that this was necessary to keeping the four of us safe from the hunters. I wonder what Michael's problem was because you'd think he'd be all for it.

To be honest, I was more than a little nervous about the possibility of encountering the girl who had caused so many problems for me and so many others. Yet, I had Calum here with me and like it had in the hospital knowing that, somehow made me feel a lot better. Maybe it was an Alpha thing, but there was something about his presence that seemed to calm me.

"So, can you explain to me what on Earth you're trying to do?" I asked, turning to face Calum who had been pacing around the park for the last fifteen minutes. He'd barely explained what he was doing and I was starting to become less and less certain that it was anything at all.

"I'm trying to get a scent." Calum frowned, pausing to look at me, "But it's not working too well."

So, that's what he was doing? I guess I should've been trying to do the same. As I'd been taught, I closed my eyes and sniffed the air. I could smell several things, the earthy smell of grass, pollen that made me want to sneeze and the smell coming from the kids playing on the play equipment on the other side of the park. Yet none of them were anything like the scent from the cave or yesterday.

"Alright, I give up." He sighed, breaking me out of my own attempt, "Let's head for the back of town. It's possible she's been hanging around there if that's where your parents found her. We might have more chance there."

I nodded, that did seem likely that had been where we'd seen her the other day after all. Surely, we might at least be able to pick up a trail away from there at least.

We walked from the park into the town. The two of us continued to search on our way between the two but all the smells were mixed up from the number of people that had used the path. As we grew closer I picked up the scent of where we had been the other day, but there was not much else beside that and the questionable smell of rotting garbage. We were both growing less certain that she'd even been around the town besides the day we'd seen her. My only guess was that she'd mainly been sticking around the forest whilst she's been here.

"We could try the cave..." I suggest. When I thought about it her keeping to the forest seemed quite likely.

Calum shook his head, "Nah, I think that's where Michael and Ashton were headed. For all we know they've probably found her already."

"Yeah." I agreed. I guess he was thinking the same as me. Though if they had, I'm surprised we hadn't heard from them. It's not like the bond wasn't working, it had been working back at my place a short time ago.

We walked a little further, and I became aware of someone watching us from the end of the alley. She sat on a dumpster, in a dirt stained light blue hoodie her frizzy hair wild as ever as it poked out from under it.

I couldn't pick up her scent but I focused in on her, I recognized her from the photo and from the other day, "Calum, down there."

Calum frowned, as he followed my gaze. The girl was pale, as she stared at me like I was a ghost. She sat completely ridged as if she had been frozen in place by our appearance.

I guess if this was the same werewolf who'd thought she'd killed me. I was probably her worst nightmare come to life, she probably thought we were seeking revenge on her or something like that.

She backed away, her wide eyes flickering between us. She cowered in towards the wall as if preparing for impact. She had nowhere to go.

_'Luke stay behind me, okay?'_ Calum says barely glancing back at me.

_'Mm'_

Huh?

When I looked up again, the girl had disappeared. I stand closer to Calum my eyes flickering around the area. Where had she gone? She'd been there only a second ago.

_'Whe-'_

My feet were picked up from under me, and a sharp pressure went through my chest and then my back as I was dragged backwards. I felt distinct sharp points digging into the neck of my skin. I tilted my head enough to see my attacker, realising that she held me in a deadlock. Calum growled at her. I tried to push on her, but she was stronger than me.

"You're supposed to be dead." She looked at me, her voice tinged with shock and anger.

"And if you dare hurt him you will be too." Calum said as he pulled her backwards, his eyes flashing golden in warning.

As if she were a doll, he picked her up and held her by her jacket, she growled and thrashed in the air. A wave of fear came over me, what was Calum going to do to her?

"Let me go!" She squealed.

Calum sighed, before letting her fall to the ground.

Even though it had scared me what he'd just done. I couldn't help but feel relieved that unlike me, Calum was a lot stronger than I was. I rubbed the back of my neck where the claws had dug in and sent a silent thanks to Calum.

She wasn't finished though, she stood up, determined as she focused on me. I was seemingly paralysed for a moment, as her eyes shifted to golden, my mind somehow going back to that day in the clearing. I was helpless as she begun to race forward. Calum moved to the side, blocking her path. She let out a snarl as she was pushed backwards once more. She punched at Calum and he kicked back. She stumbled for a moment, keeping herself upright before glaring up at Calum.

"Why are you defending him? He's just a hunter...." She yelled with a shaky voice at Calum, her eyes on him.

She looked back at me, I realised at that moment that she her was trembling as she leaned slightly forward, her breathing shallow. Her eyes weren’t golden though so she wasn’t trying to shift. It seemed Calum had tested her strength, she raised an eyebrow, "Wait, what the heck did you do to him. He was a hunter before?"

If I'd had any doubts about her, they quickly faded away. She was the wolf we were looking for. My heart skipped a beat but I took a deep breath.

"First thing you should know, I've never been a hunter." I sigh, as I crossed my arms and faced her directly. I now felt so disgusted at the thought. What if my parents had told me earlier, what might I have done to the guy standing right next to me? Ashton? Michael? I didn't even want to think about it. "My parents yes, me no."

Her shoulders relaxed.

"I'm so sorry, I thought you were. I didn't mean to hurt you." Her eyes were suddenly awash with the hint of tears. I felt disgusted by it. I couldn't reply to that, no amount of the word 'sorry' or her tears were going to change anything.

I felt annoyance in my chest, she was the reason I had to hide from my parents. It was an awful thought, if Calum hadn't saved me I would be dead by now because of her. Yet without her I might be the one trying to kill them. I didn't want to think about that either.

"No, you don't understand." Calum glared at her with his brows furrowed, he obviously wasn't buying the tears either, "He was just a human back then. If I hadn't been nearby you would've innocently killed someone."

"Human back then?" She raised an eyebrow, "What are you?"

"I'm like you guys now." I say. From the surprised look on her face, I knew straight away that I didn’t need to elaborate on that.

"How? I mean wait, Michael didn't say anything about you." She said her eyebrows narrowing.

Wait, what did Michael have to do with this? I glanced at Calum. Who looked as confused as I was at the mention of him.

"Michael?" Calum asked, his eyebrows narrowing as his voice raised, "How on Earth do you know Michael?"

"He tracked me down a few weeks back." She shrugged, "I would've thought that he'd have told you. You're the alpha of the pack his in, right?"

It clicked. Of course, when he kept leaving to go do something when I'd first become a werewolf. He'd known about her all this time and hadn't said anything to the rest of us. I felt a twinge of annoyance from Calum's end, I had a feeling Michael was going to cop it when we saw them again. This might be why Michael didn't want us to go looking for her but why? What was the point of talking to and locating her behind Calum's back?

"Hunter or not, you shouldn't be attacking people randomly." Calum lectured her, an edge to his tone. "You've attracted the hunter's attention and they're not going to stop until you either disappear off the face of the Earth or prove to them that you're a decent werewolf. Even then..."

She looked at me, immediately, breaking Calum off, her eyes wide, "You didn't tell them about me, did you? Those hunters looked like they were related to you."

"No, of course not. We're related but they don't even know about me." I say to her.

She eyed me curiously, for a moment I thought she was going to laugh, "You're a strange boy. Living with hunters but a werewolf yourself. You'll never survive. They'll find out eventually all parents do."

"Enough" Calum glared at her. "We're not here for that."

Even though Calum had stopped her, I couldn't help but feel as though she was right, my parents would find out eventually, then what? Would I be on the run like she was? I pushed the thought out of my mind.

She pursed her lips, as she seemed to fill with confidence, "Well what are you here for? To torture me, to tell me that I need to be a good little werewolf?"

"Well actually we kind of are-"

"Well if you think you know everything, then why are you here?" I asked, arms crossed. Calum glared at me and I felt a sink in my stomach and like my lips had been sewed tight. Damn, he'd used that Alpha control thing on me.

"I ran away from home." She said, simply. "Well more like my parents kicked me out of home once they found out. First werewolf in the family in generations, my parents could've never guessed that they each had enough of a gene to create one. Not that they even knew what a werewolf was anyway."

Calum suddenly seemed to see the opportunity in all this, "So then what did you do?"

"Travelled. It was great until the hunters caught up. They kept following me, and I wanted them off my tail. Surely you'd understand that right."

I'd seen enough of her file to know what she was referring to. I wasn't the first 'hunter' she'd given a lethal bite to. My heart skipped a beat, in all truth I was standing in front of a murderer.

"I like this place though, I thought I might stay here for a while. It was great until those hunters found me again."

Calum sighed, "Well that's uh...interesting, but just so you know you've got them all following us as well because of your stupid idea to dispose of hunters. They have files on us and everything, yours is especially big."

She frowned. "The hunters are still following me? The other day wasn't just a coincidence?"

"Of course, That's what we came here to tell you about." Calum said.

She stood there, shaking her head, before looking up at us, "I have to keep moving then. I thought I could stay here. This is your territory I'm sorry for bringing this on all of you."

"Good you should be." I say. Calum jabs me in the arm, giving me a warning look. He didn't stop me from talking this time though.

"Thanks for telling me. I know I don't deserve it after what I did to you Luke, I'm sorry."

I had no words to say to her, she'd hurt my dad as well. I reckon she was only being nice to me because she was in trouble. I simply nodded.

"One more thing, next time; think before you bite someone." Calum called. "Just because someone smells like a hunter doesn't make them one."

She nodded, making a last glance at me. "I will."

She raced off down the alleyway and she was gone. Amazing how once she knew that she'd taken off. What a coward, maybe I should've filled my parents in on her. She deserved it after what had happened.

"Well she was fun, wasn't she?" Calum sighed sarcastically.

"Yeah." I agreed.

After that we wordlessly we walk towards the park that we were due to meet up with Ashton and Michael at in five minutes.

"It's weird but I can kind of understand her." Calum eventually sighs, breaking our silence.

"How so?" I ask.

"She's like I was, she's scared, afraid and alone. Just the difference is her family rejected her, they didn't know about all this. She must not have had anyone to turn to, she's had to completely learn all of this for herself."

"It must have been awful.... for both of you." I spoke, Calum glanced up at me, "I mean I had a few days warning and all of you to teach me. Having no one who'd ever been through all this."

"Yeah." He sighed. "Well as you know for me it wasn't a choice. I'd been warned it could happen, I just always thought it was my mums joke, like the one she'd use to get me to eat my vegetables."

"I'd have thought the same thing. I think if my parents told me about the hunter thing before I'd met you guys I would've thought they were being funny. Well actually I did." I sighed, thinking of how stupid it seemed looking back on how I'd reacted to the news.

Calum shook his head, a slight smile on his face, "Yeah, you kept telling us we were pranking you the whole time."

I felt my face grow warm. Not too long a ago I had thought they were joking. Now it was hard to think of a time where this wasn't reality for me.

"So, what was it like finding out you were a werewolf like that? Like how did you get through it by yourself." I asked, hoping I wouldn't offend him by asking about that.

"Well yeah, as you can imagine the first full moon after my thirteenth birthday was a massive surprise. A few days before it I suddenly became sick, I could hardly get out of bed. No matter how much I asked mum, she refused to take me to the doctor. I think she knew but didn't want to scare me until she was sure. Full moon came along and that was that. I avoided school for a little while, and when I did, I decided to just stay away from everyone. I was a monster now, I was so scared that I was going to hurt someone."

"But we're not monsters-" I say.

"I thought so at the time. I mean how many people can willingly shift into a wolf?"

Fair enough. I nod at him. If one day, I'd suddenly found myself able to do what we did with no one else like me around I would've probably thought the same thing.

"Then there was Michael, he hadn't let up the entire time I'd been off school. He kept bothering me because I wouldn't talk to anyone even him. One day I just couldn't take it anymore. If anyone was going to accept this outside my family, it would be him. So, I decided to tell him. I regretted it, the moment he told me he was learning to hunt wolves. Well I guess, Michael already told you what happened with that, didn't he?"

I nod. I guess he was aware that Michael had told me what had gone on back then.

"Well as you probably know after we found out about each other we didn't speak for a while. Until that night he'd told the hunters where to go. I couldn't believe someone would do that for me. Then I guess you probably know what happened from there as well. The hunters found out why he'd quit so they came after the two of us. It is true that he did in fact making a flying leap in front of me, just to protect me from the hunters. Another thing that I still don't believe he did for me."

It was different hearing it from Calum's perspective he made it seem like Michael was a superhero. Calum's side of the story wasn't over yet though.

"I don't know what happened that night, one minute he was up and the next it was just him lying there. All the hunters were gone. I think I lost control for a moment and managed to frighten them away. It shocked them too what they had done, so they fled. It was just the two of us, Michael lying there, I thought he was gone. It was over." He paused for a moment, "Then I remembered we'd been researching only a few days earlier and had discovered that a certain type of a werewolf's bite, could have healing effects on most ailments, the only down side was that it meant they would become a werewolf themselves."

I nodded, I decided not to comment because it seemed Calum wasn't done.

"I just couldn't imagine life without him. I knew if it worked he'd be like me but he'd be alive. We'd talked about it, but I thought he would hate me for it. Sometimes I think I was selfish for bringing him into this with me. I did it anyway though...." He sighed, "...His wounds took a lot longer to heal than yours did, so I took him back to his place. I spent a few hours by his side. I was so scared I'd done the wrong thing because he wasn't waking up."

"That would've been terrifying." I agreed.

"It was." Calum nodded, "I can just remember, when his eyes finally flickered open. It was like the weight of the world had been almost lifted off my shoulders."

"Yeah, Michael said about that part. That's when he became a werewolf wasn't it?"

Calum nods, "Yeah, by the end of the night he'd already shifted for the first time. It was a way shorter time than the rest of us, but it was also a full moon so that might explain it..."

He continued, "It was hard at first, we both had so much to learn. Things like being able to communicate telepathically and sensing the other's emotions were new to us and sometimes a bit overwhelming."

Yeah, I could totally relate to that, suddenly being able to do those things was cool and all but at first it had been a sensory overload along with everything else that came with this.

"The telepathic bond is the strongest for me, sometimes I even get glimpses of what everyone's thinking besides what you say to me." He said, looking a little embarrassed. "It's kind of weird."

"It sounds kind of cool, would the rest of us be able to do it?"

Calum shrugged, "To be honest I don't know. Michael's been the only person to manage it and that's usually been just between the two of us and it's only if it's something strong. So, I think it might just be an Alpha thing."

"What is it like being an Alpha?"

"It's kind of weird knowing people rely on you the way you guys do. It's strange knowing things before you guys. I hardly remember before being an Alpha though, it's been such a long time now."

"So ever since Michael then?"

"Yeah," Calum nods, "Sometimes I think maybe I shouldn't have turned anyone and just stayed a lone wolf forever."

He'd said to us only a short time ago, that he didn't regret it, but I understood what he might have meant. I think he was glad he'd saved us all, but upset that we were trapped in the same fate as him.

"Calum, you did the right thing." I nod, "Personally, I'm glad you saved me the way you did. I know I didn't really appreciate it or thank you at the time but I am."

He looked at me. "Luke, I-"

I nodded, "It's the truth, I don't mind being this way."

He gave a smile. "But most of the time I'm glad I did. I couldn't do this alone."

I wonder what would've happened to Calum if it weren't for Michael. He'd be totally alone in all of this probably or a lot worse off. Michael had told me that hunters had a thing against lone wolves. Would he even be here right now? After Zoe, I could understand what the hunters were up against and why they hated lone wolves but when there was people like us out there who were just trying to make the best of it, it didn't seem fair.

Up ahead, I can see Michael and Ashton sitting on the bench in the park. They both look exhausted.

"How did it go?" Ashton asked.

"Well we talked to her." Calum says. Obviously leaving off that she'd tried to attack me again.

"You did?!" Ashton looked impressed, Michael beside him didn't look so enthusiastic, "What happened?"

"Well she's leaving town, but she promises to keep a better control of herself." I reply.

"Good." Ashton nods, "That's hopefully one problem solved."

"Even if she does, it doesn't mean the hunters are going to leave though." Michael sighed. “From those files, they probably know by now that Calum and I are still here.”

“True.” Ashton sighs.

“I guess it’s a start though.” Michael shrugs, “Hopefully she’ll listen to you guys and get out of here.”

Calum looks at Michael, "Well we obviously did a better job than you do. I think it would've been nice if you'd told me that you'd already talked to her."

Michael looks down at the ground, "You found out about that huh.... Well I didn't want to say anything because I knew what you guys would say."

"That you were an idiot and stupid? Honestly what were you thinking going and talking to her by yourself? At least not without telling someone." Calum yelled, "She's killed people Michael. You could've gotten hurt."

Michael let out a groan, "I could handle it myself."

"You didn't see what she nearly just did to Luke!" Calum yelled.

Ashton's eyes lit up in alarm, "She tried to attack Luke again?"

"Yeah...." I said.

Michael looked up at me, "Oh my gosh, are you okay?"

I waved him off, "Totally fine, Calum stopped her before she could do anything."

"Anyway, you better have a good reason why you went to talk to her?" Calum frowned, glaring at Michael.

"Well I figured if she was still around someone needed to find out about her after what happened with Luke. When I eventually did work out who she was, she caught me following her. So, I ended up talking to her a few times."

"About what?" Calum prompted.

"I don't know, normal things." Michael shrugged, "Anyway, she's a nasty little witch anyway. She seems to think because she's a werewolf she's greater than everyone. I stopped talking to her after this though." He raised his arm, showing a thin white set of marks along his hand.

Of course, the bandage.

"What did she do?" Ashton asked with wide eyes.

"She thought I'd been the one to tell the hunters about her." Michael sighed. "Which obviously, I hadn't. I think it had something to do with her finding out I was a hunter originally."

"So, you'd been helping her?"

Michael nodded, "Yeah. What's that saying keep your friends close but your enemies closer. I just didn't want her to hate us, even if she was evil at least if she liked us I thought it might help later down the track."

Calum look frustrated for a moment, before his face softened.

"Well I can't be mad at you for that because that's what we all just suggested we'd do." Calum sighed, "I just wish you'd told us. She did try to kill Luke after all, you were in a lot of danger doing that."

"I know I probably should've told you, Cal. But you see why I didn't want you guys to know." Michael spoke quietly.

"I guess so, just don't you dare try anything like that again."

"I promise I won't." He raised his arm into the light, "I've learnt my lesson."

"Good." Calum nodded.

"So, what are we going to do about the hunters then?"

"Maybe we should try and force them to leave. Like little clues that Zoe's left and maybe that we have too." Michael suggests.

That was great, except for one thing.

'If the hunters leave, I leave though." I say. "Well unless I can convince them to let me stay here."

"Good point." Calum frowns, "It wouldn't be good if you had to leave."

"Yeah, what will you do with no one to help you escape on a full moon." Michael says with a slight wink in my direction. I know he's referring to my struggle to climb out the window and escape the house by myself. In my defence, I did do it, the night the guys called me out to meet in the park. He's only joking though so I brush him off.

Ashton nods, "We'll have to think of something else then. We've got to find a way to get them off our tails but in a way that Luke can stay here."

I can't believe it, they're talking about if we find a way to go through with this finding me a way to stay here. Maybe I can. Well that is if they don't find out I'm a werewolf before then though, however I think if they left I had a feeling Michael and Calum would have to be found out by them considering the other files had been related to them. Maybe if we could hold out long enough, I could stay here, until I was old enough to move out on my own.

I guess there was no use in thinking too hard about it yet. With my parents closing in on Michael and Calum’s identities I wasn't sure how much or how little time we had left before they did. Perhaps we wouldn't even get a choice.


	17. End Of The Line

The next few weeks passed quickly, eventually my dad came home from the hospital and was a lot better. Everyone was grateful for that, my mum seemed way more relaxed too. Things returned as much to normal as they possibly could. Because the forest was out of limits, most of my afternoons were spent at either Calum or Michael's place with the occasional trip into town. Everything seemed perfect.

Before we knew it, the full moon was once again upon us. I'd decided that the only way out the house would be by sneaking out again. Things were different this time though, with one full moon under my belt, I felt more confident that I could get in and out without getting caught.

Not that I'd gotten far yet. I sat on the stool at the kitchen bench, just drinking a milkshake. I'd already pulled out one of my school books to give off the impression to my parents that I had a quiet night of studying planned. I just had to hope they were going out tonight because it was a full moon or I'd be stuck. I didn't know if dad being injured had affected their plans. He was better though so it seemed likely that they would be going out tonight.

Though, I hadn't seen any sign of movement from either of them. I gave a hopeless look outside through the kitchen window, it was starting to get dark already. I couldn't quite remember the time that I'd promised the guys I'd meet up with them at the park across the street. I hoped it wasn't soon. I really should've checked what time the moon was going to come up.

"Ah, Luke. There you are." My mum's voice called. I swing around on the stool to face her.

"Yup been here, the whole time." I said, placing my finished milkshake glass back on the counter behind me.

As I turned I noticed her eyes on the wolf bracelet. My stomach tightened in fear, I hadn't hidden it today. I just hoped she wouldn't notice the carved wolf charm on it. I tried not to make it obvious that I was worried by it so I simply moved my arm out of her line of view.

"So, tonight...." She started. I knew where this was going straight away.

"Full moon, I get it. I'm not leaving the house." I quickly replied.

She blinked in surprise, but smiled, "Actually, do you want to come with us tonight, Luke?" My mother asked. "There's a wolf we're tracking that's headed down south. We thought it might be good for you to have a look. This could be a good first step in training you."

"No thanks. Not tonight." I shook my head. I had no wish to follow a fellow werewolf around for half the night. Especially knowing very well that when the moon hit its peak I'd be trying to find a way to get away from my parents as well. I pointed to my books, "Lots of homework to do."

Mum looked disappointed, "We'd prefer if you came, you really should start training we've held it off long enough. Your homework can wait, you have all of tomorrow to do it. Please come, it'll be good for you."

"I said no." An edge to my tone, as I grasped onto the bench. I was already done with this conversation. I wish they'd stop pressuring me into being like them.

I realized with an awful sink that my anger was rising, quicker than usual. Shit it was a full moon, heightened emotions and such. I had to stop. If I let myself get much angrier there was a strong chance, I'd shift here in the kitchen right in front of her. I took a deep breath. I had to stay in control of this until they were well out of the house.

She glanced at me for a moment, with a curious look on her face. I tried not to let it bother me, and act as normal as possible. I closed my eyes for a moment, giving myself a moment to ground myself. I just had to hope my eyes hadn't flashed golden or I was a goner.

"Besides, I'm not feeling too well anyway." I added calmly, hoping to push off that look she had on me.

"Alright then, see you later tonight." She said, simply.

I nod. The moment I hear them leave I head for my bedroom, throwing my door open in frustration. I had to hurry it up, I'd forgotten what time I was meeting up with them but I knew by my mood that it was probably supposed to be soon.

I take a deep breath as I close the door behind me. I press myself against the back of the door and look up to find that a purple haired kid is sitting on my bed reading one of my comic books.

"Michael what on earth are you doing in my bedroom?" I glance at him.

Michael raises his hand in a stop motion. I sigh, what was his deal? Surely whatever he was here for was more important than the comic book.

"Well we were worried you hadn't found a way out." Another voice says from outside the window, I walk over to the window to see Ashton and Calum standing outside. Ashton gives a quick wave like it would be totally normal for the three of them to be here. Calum looks cross as he speaks, "We were supposed to meet up fifteen minutes ago, but you didn't turn up. We sent Michael in to find you, but he worked out you were still inside so we figured you'd come back in here eventually."

Shit, that had taken longer than I'd thought. It seemed the bond had been down too.

"Chapter's done!" I hear Michael cheer from behind me as he puts the comic book down onto my bed, "I'm borrowing that one later." He says.

I nod, he could go for his life on it. I'd already read it a few times myself. Michael grinned.

"Alright let's go. Hurry up, both of you, we already lost fifteen minutes or more waiting for Luke." Calum says, with his arms crossed as his eyes fell up at Michael.

That probably explained my outburst to my mum. I didn't tell them about that though. I didn't want them to know that my parents could quite possibly be onto me in any shape or form. The way my mother had looked at me, scared me. All I could hope was that my eyes hadn't shifted colour, or she would know for sure. I felt a little bad that I'd held everyone up, but it honestly couldn't have been helped.

Before we left, I quickly searched through my cupboard for the black hoodie. I'd hidden it after the last full moon, so that my parents couldn't find it and put two and two together. I pulled it on. The soft fabric had begun to feel like a security blanket, a form of protection against anything that could harm me.

I stood at the window, I took a deep breath, as I pulled the hood to my head. I could do this. I looked down at Calum and Ashton who were watching me. I felt a slight push at my back, from Michael. I inched forward, before tumbling out the window onto the grass below. A few moments later I heard a thud as Michael landed beside me, with feline like grace, his own hood pulled tightly to his head. He grinned at me, as he gave me a thumbs up.

I heard a cars ignition start and I looked down the side of the house just as my parents left the drive. When the headlights faded, I glanced at the others who nodded and we raced out into the night.

Naturally we headed where we always did, the forest. We didn't have to walk far when I could I already feel the moon encouraging me to shift. I took one glance at Calum who nodded.

"It's time." Was all he said.

It wasn't difficult. They had been right how easy it was after a while, especially on a full moon. I simply had to will myself, and I was a wolf again. I glanced around at the others, they had all shifted as well. Calum took off first and I fell into a steady rhythm after him as we raced through the night.

My entire body tingled with excitement as I ran. We hadn't been out here for a few days and I'd forgotten how it felt to be out here like this, just racing along with them. This was amazing. Why was it so wrong?

It's hard to explain what it's like on a full moon as a wolf, in one sense you were looking at the world from an entirely different perspective. Everything somehow seems more beautiful. I glance up at the moon as it illuminates the world around us. A glowing beacon in the night sky.

I felt kind of at peace tonight, like nothing could hurt me. It was so easy to just forget about everything that was happening with my parents. It was fantastic just being out here with the guys, no one's voice rung out through the bond but their emotions resonated with my own. It was clear that I wasn't the only one feeling this way.

' _Alright, the full moons passed its peak. Time to shift and head back._ ' Calum announces after we've been running for quite some time.

I internally sigh, it almost felt like a shame to have to leave the night behind. The moon still had a few more hours in it. However, I think Calum knew as well as I did that if my parents were following another wolf then they would probably be back home soon and would find me missing.

Somehow, I had a feeling that disappearing out the house with no explanation would raise a few questions. That could in turn lead them back to me and the rest of the guys. I think my insistence to go out with my friends on the full moon and the four wolves would be enough to make them consider it. So, if I was missing on the same night as the full moon that I claimed I'd be studying I think that would-be evidence enough for them. They'd be onto us in a heartbeat.

_'Considering that the hunters aren't following us tonight we should be safe to shift back here.'_ Calum's voice rings through my head as we come to a heavily forested part of the woods.

_'Yeah, I haven't seen them at all tonight, I guess now that our lone wolf's gone they're not following us all around as much.'_ Michael replies.

_'They said they were going down south. It's surprising, I thought we were the other one's they were after because of last full moon.'_ I say.

_'I guess if they went that way, they went to chase after her instead of us tonight then.'_ Ashton nods.

' _Good, it'll make it easier for me to get back then.'_ I say.

_'Yeah. That's one good thing at least.'_ Calum agrees with me.

I notice Michael's already standing there human, his hood pulled up covering his purple hair. He looks at us impatiently. Right, we were supposed to be shifting back.

I close my eyes, focusing on shifting back. When I open my eyes I'm no longer a wolf. For some reason, it makes me a little sad tonight, I'd stay out here all night if I could. I guess it's just the full moon making me feel this way. I look up to it and sigh. I wasn't sure when we'd be back out here, I was missing it already.

"It's hard leaving it sometimes." Ashton sighs from beside me, clearly having picked up on how I was feeling.

I nod, it sure was.

"Shame we can't be out here as much either." Calum sighs. "It makes it easier."

With hoods pulled up, we continue the walk back towards town. I follow closely behind Michael, who seems to be leading the way tonight. It's so quiet after last full moon where we'd been followed. None of us are speaking either which adds to the silence. It doesn't bother me all that much though, I'm not in the mood to talk.

Then I hear something crack from behind me, next a slight rustle of leaves that sounds separated from the noises of our feet. I know we were in the forest and there was likely to be other creatures around but there was something about the noise that seemed out of place. I couldn't decide what though. It just seemed wrong to me.

Another crack, this time a lot louder. I freeze, quickly scanning around us, trees, trees and more trees. It was probably just an animal moving, nothing out of the ordinary. I'm just being paranoid, after being followed last full moon. My parents had said it themselves, they were heading away from here. I was sure they were the only hunters in town.

Hmm, there's that noise again.

_'Something smells like hunters'_ Calum mutters. I notice it too, it smells kind of like home which would make sense. I hadn't had a name to call it before, but I tried to make sure I'd remember that smell for the future.

Then I hear something that sounds like a clicking noise, sending my brain on high alert. I hear a rustle of leaves, then a loud explosion like bang. This time I wasn't the only one who noticed, heads whip around at one another.

_'We need to run.'_ Calum growled. _'Silver powder.'_

Energy flows through me, as I follow the others. I'm moving as fast as I can without losing them. We need to get out of here. Just from Calum's tone of voice, I didn't need to know what silver powder was to know that it was bad.

I glance behind me, I see them. My parents, standing there, unfamiliar items raised in their hands, directed straight at us.

"Shit, Luke." Michael says in a yelled whisper, and I realise that his matching my pace and managing to look back at them too. Calum and Ashton have both dropped back now behind us, as they peek back at them.

My stomach sinks, my parents are the ones directing the silver powder at us. It seems they hadn't given up on us after all, they hadn't gone south chasing Zoe after all like we'd originally thought. It was us they were after. More specifically Calum and Michael considering they were the ones that they had the files on.

I turned back around, focusing on where I was going. I had to keep running. The four of us had to make it out of here.

I hear an inhuman whine from behind me and a jolt of pain strikes through me separate from my own. Michael and I freeze for a moment, shooting a glance at each other, he'd felt it too.

We turned to see that Ashton was slowing down almost falling to the ground in pain, Calum is slowing as well trying to pull him up and keep him moving. Ashton ends up pulling them both to the ground. I can see a group of what I assumed to be hunters creeping forwards behind them.

No, this can't be happening.

My thoughts race, I wanted to help them, but with my parents around I had to get out of here. I can't let them find out that I'm one of the wolves. I'd like to stay solely as the werewolf in the black hoodie, if possible.

Yet, I can't let them hurt Ashton and Calum either. I start to take a step to run back towards them, when I feel my hood slip from my head. I reach to grab it, but Michael beside me has already done the job before I have the chance.

_'Thanks,'_ I think to him quickly, out of habit.

"Oh no." I hear Michael say, his eyes were no longer on me, but trained past the hunters to where my parents were looking straight at us.

I was so dead.

_'Michael, get Luke out of here.'_ Calum's voice rings through the bond, a few seconds later. He'd seen them too.

Before I even realise it's happening, I'm dragged into the shadows. I panic as I'm thrown downwards into the dirt and leaves, another person landing directly on top of me. I think for a moment that a hunter has grabbed me. I consider their reflective green eyes for a moment, and it's only when I spot the purple hair that I breathe a sigh of relief. It's only Michael.

' _You couldn't have been more gentle?'_ I tease him nervously.

' _Sorry, I panicked.'_ Michael said.

What about Calum and Ashton though? They were still back there with the hunters. I tried to push him off me but Michael wouldn't budge.

_'Don't worry, they can handle themselves.'_ Michael nods, answering my thoughts. He seems quite calm but his eyes tell a different story. I feel it through the bond too, he's worried about leaving them with the hunters following us but he's worried about me too.

We stay there for a few moments crouched there, Michael still clinging onto me. I hear feet dash past us and Michael and I remain silent for a few moments. We need to wait for them to leave before we can move again.

It reminds me of being on school camp when we would play spotlight, sometimes you'd be lucky and everyone would race past you but occasionally someone would find you and it be game over before it began. I hoped we'd be the lucky ones, this was a lot riskier than spotlight.

_'Geez, Luke, you're shaking like a leaf.'_ Michael says, even in the darkness I can see his eyes glazed with concern. _'You're not about to shift, are you?'_

_'Nah, I don't think so, I think I'm just scared.'_ I admit.

_'We're okay. They're not going to find us.'_ Michael thinks back, _'You just need to stay with me, and we'll all make it out of here.'_

I raised an eyebrow.

_'Seriously Luke. Calum's got this, and if Ash's with him they should be fine.'_

We lie in silence for a little longer. I strain my hearing, but there doesn't sound like much is happening. Consider we didn't move that far from our original spot. My thoughts are racing, are the others okay?

_'I can't hear anyone else, let's go.'_ Michael says, finally letting go of me.

Michael and I raced back through the bush, neither of us dared to shift back into wolves. Personally, I didn't look back in the fear that someone would appear and see that it was me. I grab my hoodie, to ensure that it doesn't fall again like last time. I'm scared someone might still follow us, but it seems that no one does.

We'd been running for a while when I can see the road just a few meters ahead of us, Michael and I slow down.

_'Michael? Luke? Can you hear me?'_ The voice sounds like Calum's rings through my ears.

_'Yes.'_ We quickly reply in almost unison.

_'Good, where are you guys? Is everything alright?'_ He asks.

_'Yeah, we're fine. We're almost at the road.'_ Michael tells him.

_'So, you're both okay as well?'_ I ask. I couldn't forget how injured Ashton had looked when we left them.

_'Yes, but your parents just left after the two of you did.'_ Ashton adds, which relieves me a little if he's well enough to reply he must be okay then. _'I heard them say something about us not being the right ones. We thought they might have been following you two now.'_

_'I don't think they're following us.'_ Michael affirmed.

_'Good. We don't want them to be.'_ Calum said. _'Get Luke home, Michael. We'll all meet back up when we can.'_

I felt like the little kid that had to be home by an early curfew, but if my parents hadn't recognized me it was a lot safer to look as though nothing had happened.

_'Stay safe. Both of you.'_ Calum thinks.

_'Don't worry we will, Calum.'_ Michael says with a wistful look on his face.

I was glad to know that they were okay, but there was something about Michael’s expression that concerned me.

"Let's keep going." Michael says to me.

"Maybe we should go find them instead, forget my parents."

Michael shook his head, "No way, I'm worried about them too still but-"

"Exactly the reason we should go back then. I don't want to inconvenience you guys with this too. I've caused you all enough problems."

"Luke, stop." Michael shakes his head, "How many times do we have to tell you you're not an inconvenience. Saving your life that day was one of the best things we've ever done. There's no use going back there and throwing away your secret."

"I bet they saw me" I say. "I don't think it matters anymore."

"I'm sure they didn't, otherwise I think they'd be following after us." Michael says.

He did have a point. Still I was certain that they had been staring right at me.   
  
"What worried me is my parents lied though, they didn't really go down south did they?" I say.

Michael frowns, "Your right. I wonder why they changed their minds or lied to you? I mean if they wanted you to be a hunter you'd think that they'd tell you the truth."

"I guess it's just another thing to add to the mystery that is my life."

"Come on, let's get you home or your parents will be and that'll be another mystery to solve."


	18. Taking Off

They'd seen everything.

Well, at least I was sure they had. It wasn't like they'd yelled out my name or anything. Perhaps they hadn't even seen me. Michael had seemed sure that they hadn't. They hadn't followed us, and we both agreed that if they'd seen me they probably would've.

No. Despite all that, I was sure that our eyes had met at one point. It would've been long enough for them to see my face. Yet, I still couldn't figure out if they'd found us; why they would leave Ashton and Calum once Michael and I had run off? Was there another pack of wolves they were searching for or did it have something to do with the two of us? Or maybe even Michael had done something? Had they spotted him when he'd gone to see Zoe?

I'd stuck with Michael until we returned to my street. I'd assured him that I'd be fine the rest of the way on my own. Michael had frowned, but replied that he wouldn't be far away if I needed him. A part of me had wanted to ask him to stay, but I knew there was a chance they might have seen him too. It wouldn't be safe for him at my place if they had. Heck, it probably wasn't safe for me to go back there.

I'd noticed he'd watched me until I was up the stairs and into the house. I was beginning to feel less sure that he thought my parents had seen nothing.

Right now, I sighed as I looked around my now half-empty bedroom. I had quickly packed everything that I felt to be important, into a black canvas bag that was sitting on my bed. I wanted to be able to get out of here at a moment's notice. I didn't know what was going to happen now if they had found out about me. Would they kick me out the house or would they accept me?

I took another look around my room for anything else that was sentimentally important. My eyes lingered on the small plush penguin that Michael had won out the crane machine for me. It was special, if I ended up leaving it I couldn't live with myself. It was a reminder of that day we'd had in the game centre. Along with the small strip of photos from the machine. Gosh, they were ridiculous so I'd made sure to pack it as well. I also remembered about the comic that Michael wanted to read and packed it in, along with the other three that I had in the series. I'd have to give them to him later anyway. I might sneak over and see him once this was done anyway.

My thoughts soon returned to replaying the nights' events. I couldn't believe it, I was sure they'd seen me with them. Why had my hoodie decided to slip from my head as it did? They might not have even seen my face if it hadn't. Surely, they'd have put two and two together about me if they'd seen my face. There were four wolves and four people hanging around in the same spot. They could have even seen me shift for all I knew. They started attacking us not long after we'd shifted back. Was it possible they'd been there the whole time?

As I walked into the lounge room. My eyes lingered over a pile of books sitting on the coffee table in the centre of the room, my eyes ran along the spines they were all last year's yearbooks from the schools around the area.

Beside them, a book was laid out, open to a page of school yearbook pictures. My stomach clenched as I realised that this was my school's one from last year. It wasn't hard to see who they'd had this open for. The pictures of Michael and Calum had been circled.

No.

I stared at the page for a while.

This was my fault. They knew.

Of course, they did. Mum had seen Calum that night at the hospital; and the other week when everyone had been over looking over the files. She'd have to have recognized them, and perhaps even planned to confront them. If she recognized them she'd have to know we were friends, even if they thought I didn't know about the werewolf thing.

The only relief I had was that Ashton's was left unmarked, they didn't know about him. Just as we'd hoped there hadn't been a file for him. Yet there was a good chance they'd seen his face tonight so if they had, they'd probably recognise him from the yearbook immediately. There were post it notes attached to the page, next to the photo, written in my mother's hand-writing. I barely managed to read the word 'Alpha' on Calum's when I hear the key in the door.

"Shit." I mutter. I quickly move away from the book, they don't need to know that I'd been looking at it.

"GET IN HERE RIGHT NOW LUKE! WE KNOW YOUR IN HERE."

My stomach sunk as I forced my feet forward, the moment I was dreading had arrived. I couldn't help but feel as if I was walking to my doom. Cautious, I stepped just out of the lounge room and into the hallway, where my parents stood. Sure enough, they looked pissed. They'd seen something that was for sure. My mind went into a panic, what was I going to say to them?

"I can explain. I-"

She shook her head, her voice rising, "We told you to be careful, and now your associating with all the riff-raff in town. Werewolves Luke? Honestly."

Wait, did that mean they didn't know about me then? The way they were talking, I couldn't be so sure. I processed the wording, it sounded like they said that my friends were werewolves, not that I was one too. Had they even seen me?

"They're not riff-raff, they're my friends," I say, there was no point denying it now. I guess it just depended on how much of a bullet I could dodge with this.

"In case you hadn't already noticed those 'friends' of yours are werewolves. We've told you, they're not human, their dangerous creatures. They're not safe to be friends with. Especially those two! Do you know how bad it looks that you've been with the boy that was training to be a hunter but joined the wolves instead? Plus, that Hood boy that lead him astray! Then your other friend is a wolf too! We don't know where he came from, he was not in the report when we were assigned here. Worse, there appears to be another one with them. Their pack must be growing." I remained in stunned silence as she shook her head, "You're not going to be hanging around with them any longer, rather you'll be using your free time to be trained whether you like it or not. You know what? After this perhaps you should even be home-schooled."

I took a deep breath. Alright so they knew I was friends with them. They knew about Michael and Calum. Yet what worried me was that they'd found out about Ashton. They probably didn't remember his name but they'd be able to identify him straight away from the yearbook. They'd seen the fourth wolf, but hadn't worked out that it was me. That was one good thing at least.

Problem was they wanted to train me to be a hunter and to home-school me. I could imagine how awful that would be. Sure, I could just go along with it but I knew that sooner or later I'd be put into a position where I'd be forced to choose my loyalties or they'd find out about me anyway. Plus, I didn't want to be a hunter.  Especially against my own kind, when I knew that at least a few of them weren't evil.

What I'd feared was true, it seemed they guys were the reason we'd moved here. I wasn't going to run away from the inevitable any longer. I take a deep breath.

"I can't." I say, my voice shaking slightly with the weight of the words I wasn't sure that I was ready to speak.

"Why not?" She asks.

How could they not realize that they were my friends? They didn't even know them, they hadn't even tried. I can feel the anger bubbling inside. They'd gone too far, I couldn't do this any longer. I had to tell the truth.

Both Calum and Michael's families knew and things were still fine, why couldn't telling mine? If it didn't work out then so what, I'd find somewhere else to go. I can't keep living a lie to them. I can't lose my friends or my freedom to this.

"While you've been picking on my friends, you've failed to see the one standing right in front of you." I say.

My mother's eyes widened. I think it was hitting them both what I meant. I think they might have thought Zoe was the fourth wolf, not me.

"Yes, I'm exactly like them." I smile, making sure to let my eyes shift to golden, to make sure they knew exactly what I was talking about, "Surprise."

"Who did this to you? When?" She yelled. If she'd looked angry before she did now. I could practically see the steam coming off her ears. It didn't really bother me anymore, I'd known for some time they wouldn't be happy when I finally said it. Just like that, my emotions I'd been suppressing over them being hunters came bubbling to the surface.

"Where to start...." I sigh, "Well I guess it's your fault that I was attacked in the first place. It was the first afternoon of school when I was bitten by a lone wolf who thought I was a hunter. Apparently, it was a revenge act because your stupid hunting left a mark on me."

My mother's frown deepened, I suppose I had just called what she did stupid. she didn't try to interrupt me though, so I continued.

"I would've died if Calum and the others hadn't come along. I'd just be another article in your files. Calum didn't just turn me. He saved my life, he chased the wolf away. You on the other hand were a little too late telling me, I'd already have been dead." I said.

I'd hoped they might have understood but my parents just shook their heads. They were mad.

"You've been looking through the files? You disgusting creature, how can you stand here telling us that! We didn't tell you to keep you safe. You should've had more sense than to let a wolf attack you." My mother yelled. "Is this what all your sneaking out has been for to hang out with you little wolf friends? We told you to stay away from them."

"How would you know? You weren't even there; you didn't see it. I had no chance against that wolf, that day. You should really be thanking Calum, I was going to die anyway. He's not anything like you've said. They've been helping me, they're all nice people. If you both gave yourselves the chance to get to know them, you'd see that too-"

"It would've been better if you had, how could you?" My dad growls, he turns to mum, "I knew we should have told and trained him earlier. Look what they've done to him, if he'd known he wouldn't have gone anywhere near them, much less let them make him like them or be friends with them. He's just as bad as that Clifford boy."

They would've preferred that I had? My heart sunk. Did my parents even give a damn about me? They didn't understand, I hadn't chosen this. They sounded like they were trying to drag Michael's situation into all of this just because he'd chosen the same thing as me. All of this was perhaps one of the best things that has happened to me in its own weird way, I finally found a group of people who I felt comfortable with. They weren't monsters.

"I'm glad you didn't." I say, surprising myself. Then, I remembered what Michael had said, he'd take being a wolf a hundred times over being a hunter. "I don't think spying and spraying silver powder at people who've done nothing wrong was ever going to be my style anyway."

"How dare you say that, we're protecting everyone from those like you and your friends. Your all not even people, your lot are monsters."

"We're not monsters." I yelled, a slight growl in my tone. I wanted to face-palm, way to prove you're not a monster Luke when you start making growling noises. "You've met Calum mum, you even said he was nice."

"True, but if he's a werewolf Luke it doesn't matter. He can hurt people, you can hurt people. "

"I haven't hurt anyone." I protested.

"How do you know he hasn't?" My dad says. "That you won't?"

"I-I-" I had no idea what to say to them. I thought of Zoe, I couldn't be so sure. Calum had been a lone wolf once upon a time too. Who knew what he could've done. 

"Exactly." My dad frowned.

"Look get out the house, right this instant. I don't want such a filthy creature in my sight."

"So, you'll turn your own son out the house, just because a werewolf saved his life?" I sighed, "I haven't changed the way you think I have."

"I don't want to hear it, you have five minutes to grab your things. You've disgraced our whole family enough. Your just one of  _them_ now."

_Good._  A voice inside my head says. I would much rather be a werewolf then killing people. I'd had enough of arguing though, I was out of here right away.

Without hesitation, I marched into my room and grabbed the bag of things I'd packed. I'd known this day was coming. We'd started to notice for some time that my parents were getting close to this. The files, the following. I'd just speed up the process. My mind went back to the night where I'd first talked to Calum, where he had warned me of this happening.  _'Some hunters are so blinded by their work, that if they find out they will no longer see you as their child.'_

That was exactly what was happening here. Why couldn't my parents be like Calum and Michael's families. I guess you couldn't have everything.

I took a deep breath, as I looked around my room for what I considered to be the last time. I'd only been here two months but something about it, it had become somewhat of an oasis for me. My bridge between two worlds. It was crazy that I was about to leave it.

Where was, I going to go now? I thought suddenly. It was all well and good to just leave when I'd been asked to rather than fight. Pity I needed somewhere to sleep. I guess tonight I'd go and find somewhere outside. I'd be fine on my own. Maybe I could sleep as a wolf if I had to. Yeah, that might be alright, I'd be fine with that for one night at least. I'd find somewhere more permanent later. Real wolves did it all the time after all?

As I passed through the hallway they ignored me, like I was ghost. I realised with a horrible sink in my stomach that I was invisible to them now. I was simply another werewolf to them. They didn't even say goodbye. I said it, but there was no reply.

The moment I walked out into the moonlight. I couldn't hold it in any longer, I felt the tears starting to roll down my face. As quickly as the tears fell, my stomach tightened and I could no longer stand. I let myself drop to the ground on the gutter. Letting my bag fall beside me. I was bawling by the time I felt someone wrap their arms around me. I looked up, it was Michael.

"I came right back here when I sensed your mood change. Ashton and Calum probably won't be too far away either. They were still leaving the forest, when I spoke to them." He said, wrapping me tighter into a hug. When he pulled away I noticed him struggling to know what to say to me. His mouth opened and closed, small sounds coming out but not fully forming themselves.

"I basically just got disowned by my family, Michael." I sigh, trying to wipe my eyes with my free hand. "You don't have to say anything."

He nods, "I noticed, but everything's going to work out, Luke. You still have us. I know it's not the same but we're your family too."

I looked up at him, his eyes filled with honesty as his purple hair glimmered under the moonlight. I guess he was right, we were a little bit like our own family. We looked out for one another, just like families were supposed to. My eyes lingered on the wolf bracelet on my wrist, the reminder of that. I couldn't bring myself to look back at where my 'real' family was. I nod.

We stay there for a few moments, just sitting in the gutter, until I hear footsteps. I turn to find that Calum and Ashton had arrived behind us. My heart fills with relief. Phew, they were okay.

"Guessing things didn't go so well?" Calum sighed, his eyes on the bag of things I'd brought with me.

I shook my head. "They kicked me out the house."

Calum frowned, "Idiots."

"I knew it would happen eventually though." I sigh, "It was just a matter of when."

Ashton and Calum join us in the gutter. Under the streetlights, I notice they're both covered in thin red marks across the surface of their skin, I'd assume from the silver powder. They looked as though they were healing but I was still concerned by it.

"I guess you're right," Calum sighed, "Here we all were thinking we were keeping them from finding out..."

"Well I ended up telling them myself." I say.

Three looks of surprise met me. I could feel the emotions instantly, a mixture of confusion and surprise.

"You told them?!" Calum asked, with his eyebrow raised.

"Wait, so they didn't see you? I was sure they did." Michael looked at me confused.

So, Michael had thought they'd seen me. I knew it.

"Yes, to both of you, they did see me but they didn't know I was one of the werewolves." I told them.

"Why'd you tell them then? You could've been safe for a bit longer." Ashton frowns, he'd been quiet the whole time.

"They were pretty close though, they'd seen Calum and Michael. They told me they'd discovered Ashton and noticed a fourth wolf with them. Which then turned into them pretty much saying I couldn't hang around with you guys anymore because of what you were. They then told me I had to train to become a hunter no ifs, and's or buts. They wanted to home school me. Basically, I was so sick of it, so I just told them. I couldn't do it anymore."

"I don't blame you then." Michael said with a firm nod. "It was the right time."

I was worried they were going to get mad at me once I told them but as I looked at them something told me I'd done the right thing. I guess at least I didn't have to lie any longer. Calum nodded as well.

"So, they know about me now too..." Ashton frowned, like he was deep in thought about it, he didn't seem to register what we'd all said, "I guess there's not much we can really do then? They were going to find out about Luke and me sooner or later."

We nod. It was true.

Problem was if they knew things could get a whole lot worse. They knew who we were and would probably only be a few clicks away from finding more about them. Still I was weirdly relieved despite how disastrous it had turned out now I'd told my parents. I mean we were all probably the most wanted wolf pack and probably in a lot of danger now but I didn't have to sneak out anymore. I couldn't help but feel like I'd been deluding myself these past few months, how could I have expected this to work. My parents were hunters for crying out loud.

"Well shall we take it in turns like we talked about?" Ashton asks, breaking me out of my thoughts.

"Yeah." Michael nods, so does Calum.

"Huh? What are you-" I ask, feeling totally out of the loop, had I tuned out that long?

"Staying with us, silly. Unless you wanted to live on the streets...but I didn't really think that was your style." Michael said with a smile at the end.

I shake my head quickly, they couldn't possibly. "You don't have to do that, I got myself in this stupid mess by telling them. I'll find somewhere. Sleeping in the woods would be alright."

"Now that would be stupid. Come on, all of us have some spare room for you somewhere. It will be fine." Ashton nods.

"I couldn't I-"

"Enough, Luke." Calum said, looking me in the eyes. "They wouldn't have kicked you out if it weren't for us turning you. I think we owe you that much."

I nod," It's not too much trouble, is it?"

Calum stands up before helping me up from the ground, "Hey, what are packs for?"

 


	19. Family

Michael's house ended up being my first residence, but everyone came over anyway. I guess with everything that had happened and the full moon, it was good night to stay together.

We'd set up a circle of sleeping bags in the living room. I sat on my own, a warm coffee rested in my hand. Beside me was Calum whose eyes were trained down into the coffee mug. On the other side, Ashton was quietly drumming on his own, but his eyes were trained outside. I'd had to try to block the others emotions out as they'd built with my own. It was hard enough dealing with my own feelings let alone the rest of the packs.

I sighed as I gazed into the coffee mug staring into the creamy liquid. I couldn't stop myself from thinking about what had happened tonight. So much had changed and it was difficult to tell what our future was going to hold.

"I feel like we're at a funeral with you three." Michael frowned, as he returned to the room with his own mug. He took a space across from me.

Calum sighed, as he took a sip from his own drink, "Sorry, but this is all a mess. Everything's going to have to change now. It was all about keeping Luke safe. Now that they know about Ashton as well and that we're still here. Well, it's about all of us."

"Yeah, what are we supposed to do now that they know about Luke and me?" Ashton asked as he looked between Michael and Calum. "I mean, what happened last time they were here? "

Michael shrugged, as he leant back onto the sofa behind him. "It was different then, there was only two of us. A pack of four werewolves is too many for them when they don't know about it. They probably think we're trying to build up a pack to challenge them."

"That's not what you're doing is it?" I ask with a glance at Calum.

I felt awful, as soon as the question left my mouth. That hadn't been what I'd meant to ask.

Calum frowns, and shakes his head, "Of course not, I mean I hate hunters sure. Would I build up a pack against them? No way. You three know better than anyone why I did what I did."

He did it to save us. I wasn't as sure about what had happened with Ashton but I knew what he'd done for Michael and myself. So, I assumed it was the same deal with him.

"You did what anyone would do." Michael said simply, "You never meant for our pack to be this big."

"There was never supposed to even be a pack." Calum sighs, "I love you guys, but I had all intentions to remain a lone wolf."

"Anyway, I'm serious. Let's change the topic, the hunters aren't going to come for us tonight. So why are we sitting here worrying?" Michael said his eyes resting on Calum.

"Exactly." Calum agreed.

"I kind of wish we could go back out there, but it's probably still packed with hunters." Ashton sighed, leaning against the back of the sofa.

Even if we could, I wasn't so sure that was the best idea for me right now. Sure, it would be great to be out there again, especially being a full moon and all. But, I was certain if I went back out there I'd be quickly reminded of what had happened tonight. Perhaps tomorrow I'd be over it, but going back tonight was way too early.

"Maybe we don't have to leave the house for a distraction, I have an idea." Calum grinned, a smile finally returning to his face. "Stay right there."

I exchanged a glance with Michael and Ashton who both shrugged as Calum stood up and left the room. From the determined look on his face, I figure Calum probably knows Michael's place as well as his own.

"Cal where are you going?" Michael asks as he stands up and starts to follow him after a few moments. I strain my ears but can only hear a slight creaking noise.

It's only a few seconds later that I see the large white object flying towards Michael. Michael grins as he ducks. The offending pillow crashing into the sofa behind him.

"Damn, I thought I had you this time." Calum yells.

"Oh really?" Michael grins, "You forget, I was trained for this."

"What dodging pillows?" I ask, with a grin.

"Well no, but you know what I mean." Michael says as he turns back to me.

Behind him I notice Calum is holding another pillow and carefully aiming it towards him. The pillow leaves his hand and hits Michael in the back.

"Hey! That one wasn't fair! I wasn't looking!" Michael yelled. As he grabs the pillow from the ground in front of him and holds it up.

"So much for being trained for this then." Calum grins back at him. To be honest for all Michael's going on I would've thought he'd be able to dodge a sneak attack like that.

"That last one doesn't count, okay. I wasn't ready. " Michael says.

"Whatever you say." Calum grins, as he holds up another pillow.

As Calum starts again at an increased pace, I can only watch as Michael uses the pillow he'd collected to duck and dodge from Calum's attacks. It appears Calum had built up quite the collection of pillows whilst he'd been missing, as he seemed to have an almost endless supply of them in a few different shapes and sizes. Michael's family must've had a lot of them.

"Guys help me!" Michael yelled. "He's too strong."

"Sorry but you're on your own on this one." Ashton said with a slight laugh

"You did say you were trained for this." I added.

Calum looked startled, "I'm out!" He yelled as he raced forward and picked up a bunch of pillows from the floor that he'd already thrown. Michael tried to dart in to stop him but Cal resorted to swatting him away with the pillows instead.

"Okay, okay. I surrender, you win Cal." Michael said as Calum swatted him, a second later he fake falls to the ground. He was totally overdoing it.

Calum laughed, "Come on, Mikey. You can't be that exhausted."

"I know but we have to start again. Luke and Ash, you both have to join in this time." Michael says from the ground as he stops acting. He pulls himself up on one shoulder to face Ashton and me.

I glanced over at Ashton who shrugged, "Why not?"

The second pillow fight lasted for a while, it was a total free for all. I wasn't too sure who won, but in the end, we were all in fits of laughter. It was a lot better than if the four of us had moped around for the night.

"That was fun." I say to anyone who was listening as Michael switches off the light as the four of us try to get to sleep. So far it hasn't been going so well, someone would start making a noise and that would be the end of it.

"Yeah, it was. Wasn't it?" Someone replies, it sounds like Ashton.

"I still think Cal had an unfair advantage, hording up all those pillows." A voice says, Michael I think.

"I came up with the idea, I think it's only fair." Calum protested. "Now, I thought we were going to sleep."

"Oh yeah, that."

The four of us fell into silence, but I still felt way too excited from the pillow fight. There was no way I was going to get to sleep anytime soon. I sighed and stared up at the ceiling.

"Go to sleep Luke," The voice next to me muttered.

I'm sure it was Calum because that's exactly what I did. I felt my eyes began to flicker and grow heavy before closing completely....

_I was lying on a bed of grass beneath the stars. I hear the echoing hoot of an owl first, then the gentle whoosh of the grass around me. I felt peaceful here, just as I had during the peak of the moon._

_"Come on Luke!" I heard someone call._

_I push myself up onto one shoulder towards the noise. I scan my surroundings. A mess of trees lines the grass, and at the other end of the clearing I can see the silhouette of a group of wolves. My heart leaped with anticipation as I immediately jumped up and raced to join them. I ran, but the distance between us didn't seem to grow any closer. I pushed myself faster, I could make this I had to be moving somewhere._

_"Luke" The echoes yelling out to me continued. "Come on hurry up! You're going to miss it!"_

_"I'm coming! Wait for me!" I thought out. I leaped off the ground, the wind rushing through my hair._

_"Too late."_

_Then I was falling forward, my feet giving way from under me. When I pulled myself up everything around me had turned to monochrome._

_I took a step backwards, looking around in confusion. The wolf like shapes were gone. I was alone in this sudden greyness. Something was wrong._

_I felt someone tug on the back of my fur, I let out a howl. Turning to face my attacker. I was pushed backwards and my screams became human. It was like the wolf was ripped out of me. I stood there, human._

_"Filthy, dog." I heard someone laugh as they leaned down to my level._

_I didn't recognise the person in the hooded jacket, as they ripped the wolf charm from my bracelet. It was chucked unceremoniously into the dirt, before a boot came crashing down on making sure to squish it._

_"Hey, that's mine!" I yelled fiercely as I considered their eyes with as much determination as I could manage._

_I found myself meeting the cold eyes of my parents who'd been the ones to tear the wolf charm from my bracelet. An instant sense of betrayal went through me, how could they do this. Didn't they understand how important this was to me?_

_I felt at the ground for the charm, but the dust was kicked in my face._

_"You don't belong with them." My parents yelled. "Stop trying to pretend like you do. You were built for more than this."_

_"But I do!" I protested looking up at them, "Please! Listen to me! You have to understand."_

_"We understand perfectly. It's you who has become misguided, look at who you've been hanging around with. A group of traitors and monsters."_

_I followed her gaze behind me to see that everything was pitch black apart from the group of luminous lights._

_"Now do you see what you've become?"_

_"No! You don't understand." I said back but as I did I felt the entire scene slip away and suddenly I was left dark and alone. I scratched my hands along the surface, there was something I needed to find here._

_My hands fell upon a cool object. I ran my hand over the thin curved object. It felt natural as I picked it up and pulled it towards me. When I brought it into the light I pulled it up noticing the curved metal shape and the sharp wooden object held in the centre of it. I quickly realised that it was a crossbow._

_"You know what you have to do." A caped figure gestured to the three shadows behind bars on the other side of the room._

_I shook my head quickly, "No, I won't do it."_

_She didn't say anything more as_ _I reached behind me, pulling the crossbow in their direction. My hand was trembling, but I had no control._

_"No!" I screamed as the scene faded to black as I was pulled out if it._

I woke up crying. Reality had set in, as the meaning of it dawned on me. My parents hated me. Parents weren't supposed to hate their children. I wasn't sure how I felt about them despite it all, they were my family they'd done so much for me. How could such a small thing undo it all?

I sat up, curling myself into a seated ball on my sleeping bag as I wiped my eyes. What had I done? I should've just died that day in the clearing. I shouldn't have made friends with these guys. If I had lived, I should've either joined the hunters or ran away-

"Luke." A voice sighed, snapping me out of it. I looked up just as Ashton wriggled across the sheets to join me on my sleeping bag. He sat beside me. "You alright?"

"I'm fine." I assured him, Ashton looked back at me skeptically, I sighed, "I had a dream.... well a nightmare really. It's stupid."

"Ah, I see. " He didn't push for it.

He sighed, "You know dreams don't mean much, it's just your brain trying to sort out what happened during the day. Or something like that... I can't remember."

I sigh, I guess that was a good way to think of them anyway. The dream didn't mean I was going to go hunting down my friends. I think that part at the end had been what had scared me most.

Ashton sighed, as he pulled at his sleeping bag, "You know what, let's go outside. Not past the backyard obviously. But it's still a full moon you know. It might make you feel a bit better."

"You think so?"

Ashton nods, "Yeah, I find for me it clears you're head a bit. Perhaps it'll help you too."

I was willing to try anything at this point. Even if I tried to go back to bed now, I was almost certain that I'd end up having the same kind of nightmare. Instead, I take Ashton's suggestion and follow him out onto the porch.

The moment we step outside a cool brush of air hits me, but it doesn't seem to bother me too much. I guess it must be a werewolf thing. I know it's getting closer to winter, so it makes sense that it's getting colder at night.

As I look up to the sky, I notice the moon making its decent. Around it, the stars twinkle around it, natural nightlights. We stand there in silence for a few minutes, just looking up at them.

I notice some of the familiar constellations, like the southern cross and Aquila. Last year in science we had a whole subject on the stars, so I know them well.

After a little while, Ashton looks over at me, "Feeling better?"

"Yeah, I think so." I nod as I rock on the balls of my feet. "Thanks."

"Good," He smiles.

I looked over at Ashton. The pale light of the moon shining over his features.

"Hey, Ashton, I hope you don't mind me asking but how did you become a werewolf?" I ask.

He looked slightly startled, like the question had caught him totally off guard. Then I noticed his shoulders relax. He leaned back, and looked up to the sky, before looking back at me.

"I was wondering when you might ask about that, I guess you're the only one who doesn't know." He sighs, as he runs his hand through his hair, "Just don't get too excited, I didn't do anything amazing like the other two. It was kind of my fault, so it's a little embarrassing how it happened..."

I nodded. Thinking of Michael's story, and the events that had probably saved them both. He'd almost died protecting Calum.

Ashton was right, it was amazing. Michael had warned me a while ago that Ashton didn't like how he'd become a werewolf. Ashton glanced at me, seeming to debate whether to tell it. I nodded at him to continue. Though I guess if he didn't want to tell me then that was his decision.

"It all started this time last year, when I moved here." He started, "It was the first time I'd changed schools besides to go to high school, but even then, I still had people that I'd known from primary school. It was odd, going from having people that you'd known forever in your classes to knowing no one. I guess, you would probably know about that. This is like your tenth school or something?"

"Something like that." I nodded. I'd changed school's that many times, so I knew exactly what he meant. I'd been through it every year. I'd finally start to get to know people and then we'd move to a place where I'd have to start over. Until now. I guess now I was going to be staying here until I was finished with school. My parents had been the ones that had made us move, but now I was on my own, it was up to me. I guess I'd stay here now if the guys were.

"Geez, I thought once was bad enough." Ashton continued, shaking his head, "Anyway. It was a few days in and I hadn't made too many friends. Then one of the teachers announced that we'd be put in pairs for an assignment but we didn't get to choose. Somehow, I ended up with Michael. He had bright blue hair back then, he seemed a little weird at first but he was nice. Well you know what he's like.... The only problem was he had an overprotective best friend that was always with him but liked to keep to himself."

I knew exactly what Michael was like and Calum too it didn't take me long to put the pieces together, "Calum was the overprotective best friend right?"

Ashton nodded, with a grin on his face, "Yeah, that was Cal alright. Believe it or not he's actually lightened up a bit since then."

I thought of the way he'd acted on my first day when Ashton had dared even talk to me. To think that he'd been worse than that.

"As we worked on the assignment I ended up getting along well with Michael. When he noticed, I didn't sit with anyone at breaks he invited me to sit with them. So, I did." Ashton said, "At first, Calum didn't seem to like me too much. I guess looking back now it was just a similar thing to what happened with you. He didn't want anyone getting too close to them and thought Michael was being stupid for making friends with someone else in case they found out. I think maybe because it had been the two of them for so long it was weird for him having a third person around."

Besides the werewolf thing it sounded to me like Calum might have even been a little jealous that Michael had another friend.

"Slowly, Calum did warm up to me. Things were great once he did, they were the two best friends someone could ever have, I had no idea that they could be hiding anything."

"So, they didn't tell you?" I asked.

"Nope, not until a few months later." Ashton sighed, "Well to be honest, I found out on accident rather than them deciding to tell me. I can just remember being in class one day and that Michael got really upset over something the teacher had said to him. He ran straight out of the classroom. Calum followed him and naturally, I did too. When I went around the corner to find him, there was only this wolf sitting there and Calum was talking to it. I was so confused."

"It was Michael, wasn't it?" I asked.

Ashton nods, "Yeah, Calum said his name and I can just remember standing there in total shock for a moment. Like was it possible that the wolf was really him? I'd looked around, but Michael was nowhere to be found, but this wolf was. It seemed like the only explanation, no matter how strange it might be."

He sighed, "I don't think Calum had noticed I'd followed him until he looked up and saw me standing there. He explained everything to me then. I couldn't believe it. It wasn't just Michael, but both of my friends were Werewolves?"

He took a breath and continued, "It took me a few days to get used to the idea, I avoided them as much as possible. Michael was persistent though and helped me to realise that it shouldn't make any difference of how I thought of them. I stopped avoiding them and it wasn't long before I started to go with them out into the forest. It was incredible, I was totally awe-struck. I used to try and chase after them but I could never keep up. I was the odd one out but I loved it as much as they did. It probably made us closer. I think it was easier on them too, they didn't have to hide it from me anymore. Still, I don't think Calum was too happy I'd found out, but Michael was much more enthusiastic. It seemed like nothing could ever go wrong."

I pictured Ashton chasing after the two wolves. He wouldn't have been able to run with them like I could. I remembered those first few days where I'd been miles behind. Ashton looked away for a moment, his eyes distant and far-away.

"Something went, wrong didn't it?" I asked quietly.

Ashton nods, his voice much quieter, "It was just an average day for us, we'd headed outside. The two of them raced off ahead of me, and I took off after them. Then I noticed something in the distance to the left of me, a person I think. My attention was on them for a second too long. I felt my foot slip from under me as I tripped over a low hanging tree branch and fell into a large crevice in the ground. I knew straight away I was injured, my entire body ached, my vision was blurred and my chest felt tight. I'm sure if we'd had enough time that day to do an x-ray there would've been a few broken bones. I tried calling out to the others but they were too far ahead, and my voice was weak from the fall. There was no way I could get out of there either, especially not in the state that I was in."

I sat there in silence, I had nothing to say that would've been terrifying.

"Calum and Michael eventually came back when they realised I wasn't following with them. I don't remember much around that, someone helped me out. I remember Michael commenting about an allergic reaction. I think Calum knew I was dying, I can remember him standing above me, checking if I needed to go the hospital. I could tell from what they were saying that there wasn't enough time for that. I knew what he could do...what he'd done for Michael so I begged Calum to save me, so that's exactly what he did."

"I'm so sorry Ashton." I say.

He shook his head, "Nah, I'd rather be a werewolf than not be here."

He was right, I guess even with all the family drama, I'd rather be this than dead, "I totally understand that."

"Besides, I kind of wanted to be one by then. The two of them were so amazing, I wanted to run like they could. I guess I got my wish."

I wondered if I'd been in Ashton's position whether I would've wanted the same. It must've been hard watching your friends do something so incredible but not be able to join them.

"Don't tell the others though, I think Calum would get mad at Michael all over again if he knew that." Ashton sighs, "He went on for months after it happened that Michael should never have made friends with me. I'd hate to think if he actually knew I wanted to be one."

"I won't say a thing." I nod.

"I'll be honest, it's harder than I thought though. It's not the werewolf part that bothers me. It's the lies I have tell because of it. My family still don't know what I am, unlike everyone else's. I just can't bring myself to tell them."

"You're doing a better job than me, I lasted two months."

"Luke, they were hunters. You did well to last if you did." He said, "Ask Michael and he'll tell you the same thing."

I knew he was right. While not in the same sense, Michael had come from a hunter influenced background like me. He'd had to deal with some of the same things I had.

"I guess you could say we're all like our own little family now." Ashton says, his eyes on the stars.

"Funny, Michael said the exact same thing to me earlier."

"It's true. We're a pack, so we're basically family."

"And ohana means family and family means no one gets left behind or forgotten." A voice says from behind us.

I turn around to find, Michael standing there. I was sure he'd just quoted that Disney movie, Lilo and Stitch I think it was? We used to go around saying it all the time as kids but I hadn't heard anyone say it for a while.

"Really Michael?" Ashton glances at him, possibly thinking the same thing I was.

"It's true though." He shrugged, "Honestly you two, stop being such adults."

"Anyway, is everything alright? I heard you guys out here talking and I thought something was up." Michael asks looking between us hesitantly.

I look back at Ashton, "Yeah it is. Everything's fine now."

He nods back at me.

"Good." He nods, "I was getting worried about you both. Seriously everyone's being so moody tonight."

"I wonder why," Ashton rolls his eyes sarcastically, "Wouldn't have anything to do with the full moon, Luke or that we had to run for our lives."

"I guess so." Michael says, "I kind of forgot it was a full moon after what happened."

Michael joins us at the railing and the three of us look out at the moon.

It was incredible to think of where the three of us would've been without Calum. Maybe if I hadn't met them, I would've become a hunter. I would have done exactly as my parents asked and not questioned it. So probably would've Michael. If he hadn't stood in for Calum, and I'd ended up coming here anyway perhaps Michael and I would've been friends. Maybe still Ashton too. It was strange how easily things could've been different. In another life that's how things might have panned out.

Yet, I was glad that hadn't happened though. I knew what Ashton meant, even after everything that had gone wrong I was grateful for what I was now. I wished my parents had understood, but right now in this moment standing here I wouldn't have things any other way.

It was a shame that it probably wasn't going to last. 


	20. Pizza

"Luke, you touch that last slice of pizza and you're a goner."

I glared at Michael carefully, as I slowly reached my hand forwards towards the waiting pizza sitting on the floor between us. We'd lost track some time ago as to who rightfully deserved the last slice. I smile at him in challenge.

"You really want to risk it Luke?" He grinned back.

I pause, forming my mouth into an oh shape before retracting back my hand. I shake my head, nudging the box back towards him, "Oh no, of course not, I think you should have it."

Michael grins thinking that he's won, and starts pulling the box closer towards him.

"Are you sure Michael that you don't want to give the last slice of pizza to Luke?" I say, trying to put on my best ghost sounding voice.

Michael pauses as he looks up and frowns at me.

"You want the slice, Luke? I had no idea" Michael asks, with a raised eyebrow but a smirk is rested firmly on his face. "I guess you could have it..."

He nudged the box back towards me. Moving quickly, I reach forward for the slice. My hand is only centimetres from it when he speaks again.

"You touch it Luke and you're out the pack." Michael stares at me, a teasing to his tone now. He sits back with a shrug, "Being a lone wolf is apparently not much fun you know."

"You know I thought only Calum gets to decide that." I look up and roll my eyes at him.

"Alright then, I have a better idea." Michael grins, he gets up and leaves the room. I wonder what he's gone to get? I sit in silence for a few moments listening to the sounds. There's a rattle and a clank.  I hear a loud thud and a small muttering. I can't sense anything through the bond, for some reason a wave of panic goes through me.

"Michael, you okay?"

"Yep!" He grins, he has an object in his hand but he keeps it hidden.

I take a sigh of relief as he sits across from me. I watch in curiosity as he turns the pizza towards him, and brings the knife down, slicing the last piece straight in the middle so it's dead even.

"We couldn't have done that to start with?" I laugh at him.

"No way!" Michael shakes his head. "I had to make sure you were serious before giving you half  _my_  slice."

" _Your_  slice? I thought we'd decided it was mine." I grin at him.

Michael shakes his head, pushing the other half back at me. "Shut up and eat your pizza."

I nodded and took my slice and devoured it happily, it had started to get a little cold while we'd been arguing but it was still good.

Michael and I had ordered pizza, because neither of us could be bothered cooking anything. Michael's parents were still away until later in the afternoon, so we couldn't be lazy and ask them to make us anything. So, pizza had been the best option.

Ashton and Calum had both left quite early today, both claiming that they had somewhere else to be.

A while ago being left alone with Michael like this would've scared me, but it didn’t bother me at all now.

"So, what are we going to do today?"

"Well I have stuff here but you've barely seen half the cool places in town." Michael grinned, "I was just getting started. The game centre was just the beginning, though I do want to pop by their later. if that's cool with you."

"What about the hunters, if they see us... "

"It'll take them a while for more to get here or set up any sort of plan. We should be fine for the next few days. Besides we can't be afraid of them forever." Michael shrugs.

"If you say so." I agree, I knew how much he loved the game centre so I wasn't about to argue. Besides, if Michael didn't think a whole team of hunters would show up overnight. I had no reason to think otherwise.

***********

"Do you know everyone in town?" I asked as we left the comic store, I'd been introduced to more of his store owner friends, I couldn't help but think of Joe back at the game centre. It was starting to seem as though he knew everyone.

Michael shrugged, "I know a few people."

Michael had shown me heaps of cool places today. I'll be honest the comic store had been my favourite. I sighed though thinking of the collection I'd left behind. I'd only brought the few over for Michael and that was it.

When I'd mentioned it to Michael he joked about sneaking in there and getting them back for me. Obviously, I protested that fact as there was no way he was sneaking back in there just for comic books. Then he'd concluded that he had enough for both of us, so he said he'd share his collection with me.

"So, I want to-" Michael started, freezing mid-sentence. His eyes were trained on something in the distance, his face pale and hand trembling slightly. He looked as though he'd seen a ghost.

"What's wrong?" I asked, as a flood of emotions hit me. Part fear, a little bit shock. Something had thrown him off, that was for sure.

"There's another hunter in town." He said, his eyes not moving away.

I followed his gaze, there was two guys walking along the footpath on the other side of the road. They didn't stick out too much to me, they were just people walking along. One was clearly much older with slicked back jet black hair, there was a second person probably not much older than us with hair colour the same almost as mine. My breath caught, Michael couldn't be meaning them.

"Who's that and what is he doing with my brother?" I blurt out.

Michael glanced at me, that was enough to break his attention away from them, "The blonde-haired guy? That's your brother?"

I nodded.

"No way. The guy he's with is my uncle, you know, the guy who was training me." Michael replied, the shock evident on his face.

I understood his reaction now, after what I'd heard had happened between them over Calum. What he'd tried to force him to do. That wasn't my main problem though, it was my turn to be confused.

"My parents said, they'd kept my brother out of this." I frowned.

"Clearly not." Michael frowned as well.

A horrible thought came to me, I looked over at Michael, "Wait, do you think he's a hunter too?"

"I'm not sure." Michael frowned, "Though, now I think about it there was a Hemmings a few years older than me."

I stared at him, "You only just thought to tell me that now?"

"I only just remembered, I didn't have much to do with a lot of the hunters higher up than me. Do you think you could list everyone that you ever went to school with?"

"Well no."

"Exactly. As it was I had to do enough research just to find out if your family were the hunters let alone anyone other than your parents."

"Right, I forgot you stalked me." I rolled my eyes.

"Well you carried the scent of one and I'd thought I'd heard your last name before." Michael shrugs. "I had to see what we could be dealing with. For what I found it appears it was only your parents. I guess I could’ve been wrong.”

He grinned, "Though, to be honest if you'd been a hunter you were a pretty lame one. You would've at least put up more of a fight."

"Thanks." I said sarcastically, "I was totally going to try and fight off a large wolf with my school bag as my only weapon."

"True, all I heard you do was scream." Michael grinned, "If you were a hunter you could've. Hunters don't do that. Even back then, at a basic level I could've fought that werewolf easy, you looked like you had a clear shot at them and everything."

"Come on, I'm sure if you weren't a hunter, and had been in my position, you would've screamed."

"Okay so maybe your right. But I think we better follow them and see what they're up to." Michael says.

"Are you serious, we can't do that."

"Why not?" Michael says with arms crossed.

"You know because following people is wrong. Besides, we're supposed to be avoiding hunters. We're going to get caught." I reply.

"Well yeah, but anything we see them doing could help us. It's worth the risk. We'll be careful Luke." Michael said. He didn’t seem to be bothered by it like I was. "Please?"

"Fine, but if we get caught- "

"I know." Michael sighed, "But we're not going to get caught."

Much to my protest the two of us followed after them. I stayed behind Michael as they turned into an alleyway. The two guys came to a stop at a doorway that I guessed must lead into one of the buildings on the main stretch of roads.

My brother turned his head, and before I could see Michael had pushed me backwards, so we were both out of view. After a moment, Michael looked back out again and gestured for me to look as well.

I noticed an elderly man had opened the door, he welcomed the two of them with great delight. I strained to hear what they were saying but came up with nothing intelligible. They entered the doorway together. I heard the door close behind them.

Michael looked back at me and pointed down the alley _. 'I say we follow after them.'_

_'What the heck are you insane?'_ I thought back, we were already closer than I wanted to be to them.

_'I think there might be a window we might be able to see something.'_  Michael said seeming to ignore me, as he analysed the lane way.

He started walking off towards the window. I waited for a moment, unsure whether to follow him. He turned and looked back at me. I sighed, I wasn't going to let him get into this mess alone. I took a few steps towards him, and he continued. He had been right though, as we made it closer I noticed that there was a frosted glass window right next to the door that we had seen them enter. We might be able to see what they were doing.

I stopped beside Michael, and the two of us peeked over the bottom of the window. We had to keep down so they wouldn't see us watching.

When I looked inside I could see that the elderly man discussing something with them. They looked as though they were listening intently. I searched around them the room. It seemed to be filled with various items, along its high stocked shelves. There was jars of various liquids and strange looking contraptions. What kind of person was this and why had Michael's uncle and my brother come to them?

The main raised a glass object with a yellowish grey liquid, he held it up to them. I could see them analysing it carefully. Was there something special about it?

_'What is that?'_ I asked.

Michael squinted.  _'It could be wolfbane maybe...but it's the wrong colour...'it's usually more purplish.'_

I stared at the object for a moment. I realised that I had no idea what he was talking about.

_'So, what's wolfbane?'_ I ask, curiously.

_'Our worst enemy, well besides silver powder. They make it from a ground up plant. That stuff burns and is a bitch to heal.'_ Michael explained,  _'In other words, try not to get anywhere near it.'_

I saw them shake their heads, and the elderly man frowned, placing the vial back in his pocket.

_'They handed it back.'_  I commented.

‘Yeah- ‘Michael replied cutting off in mid-sentence.

It was just then that I saw Michael's Uncles head turn straight towards us. He scowled as his eyes landed on us.

"Shit." We mutter in unison. I ducked under the height of the window and started to move away from it, but when I looked up, Michael was frozen solid where we'd been. Holding his gaze.

_'Michael, come on.'_ I say as I pull on his arm. Why won't he move? I can't leave him here.

_'No, wait.'_ He says, his eyes not moving from their spot.

_'Are you crazy, let's get out of here before they recognise us.'_ I looked over at him.

I heard the creak of the door, and pulled Michael just out the way as it opened. We were too late. I saw the person's leg, and then looked up to see that Michael's uncle was the one standing there. Scowling at the two of us.

"Well, well if it isn't Michael, the little boy who thought he could cross me." He says sounding slightly amused.

Michael glared at him, standing up beside me. "I'm not a little boy anymore."

He smirked, "So you say...."

"Luke?" I heard someone ask. I saw the second person, my brother was looking at me, his eyes were wide with confusion, "But you're supposed to be dead."

Dead? The words washed over me, a sense of dread filling me. I couldn't believe it. My parents had sold me off as dead already. I guess they weren't joking when they said I was dead to them now. They hadn't even known I was a werewolf for an entire day and they were already telling people that. Even my brother.

"Come on, we have to go." Michael's uncle told him, already pulling him away towards the other end of the alley.

He shoved the guy off, glaring at him. "He's my brother. If he's not dead, then I need to speak to him."

"He's not how you remember him, he's one of them. A werewolf." Michael's uncle glared at him.

His eyes widened, as he turned to look at me, "Luke? Is that true?"

What was I going to say? My stomach sunk as I tried to think of the best answer. He knew about Werewolves, it was going to be the same thing as my parents.

"What does it matter?" Michael said with an angry glare at my brother.

"I was talking to Luke." He glared back at Michael with as much intensity before looking back at me. "Is it true you're a werewolf?"

It seemed my parents hadn't kept either of us out of all this after all. He knew about them, so I may as well admit the truth.

I met his eyes and I nod. I couldn’t say a thing; my words were gone.

"So, that's why they told me you were dead." He frowned.

I suppose that was easier for them to admit to themselves then, hey our son is running around as the thing were hunting. I couldn't believe they'd made that out to my brother though.

"They told you that, huh?" I spoke quietly. "You have no idea what they did do you?"

He blinked, "What did they-"

"Enough, don't trust anything he says. He's a werewolf remember." Michael's uncle said.

"Never mind." My brother said with a sharp glance at Michael's uncle. He took a step back towards the door as if he was about to go back inside again.

"Let's go, we'll leave the two traitors to their snooping." Michael's Uncle sent daggers with his eyes over towards us.

"Wait, give me a second." My brother said, taking a step away from him, towards us.

Hesitantly I took a step back. Part of me wasn't sure what he was going to do. My eyes flickered to Michael who was looking at them both with concern.

_'Luke, maybe we should go... '_ Michael thought to me.

"I guess you really are one." He says looking me up and down. I wasn't sure what he was looking for, I didn't really think my appearance had changed that much since. I guess it had been a while since I'd seen him.

His eyes flicker to Michael, "You’re one too right. Are you the one that did this to him?"

Michael glared at him, "Yeah I am one. I was there but it wasn't my decision that this happened to him."

"I see." He said with a disapproving look at Michael.

_'Did you see the way he looked at me? This is bad. Let's go, Luke.'_ Michael said.

_'Wait.'_ I think back to him.

"So, you're a hunter too then I guess?" I ask quietly, barely keeping eye-contact. This was the answer I was the most afraid of.

He nods, "Part-time but yeah I am."

I remembered he had been supposed to come back home for a little while in a few weeks anyway. I wasn't so sure how much truth I had been told about my brother’s activities but I decided not to push it.

We stand there in silence for a moment. I don’t think either of us knew what to say to the other. I could see Michael’s uncle looking at his watch and tapping his foot impatiently. I can’t move, it doesn’t feel right to leave yet. Michael doesn’t seem to be pushing it either.

"I'm so sorry." My brother says as he suddenly wraps his arms around me as he pulls me into a hug. He pulls away, "Geez, you're so warm. I'd almost think you just had a fever if I didn't know."

"It comes with it I guess." I reply to him.

He gave me a sad smile, "I mean it though, I’m sorry Luke, but we can't talk anymore after this."

"Why not?"

I saw him glance back at Michael's uncle, he took a deep breath, "I'm a hunter, Luke. You're a wolf. Blood, family it doesn't matter anymore. Your just one of them now, that's the way it has to be."

"But-"

"Goodbye, Luke." He shakes his head as he takes a step backwards. He turns, and starts to walk in the opposite direction, Michael's uncle follows after him.

I stand there staring for a moment, my eyes start to itch and I can feel the tears building up my eyelids. I blink a few times.

Gosh I couldn't cry in front of Michael again. I tried to wipe my eyes, but the tears kept coming out. At least he'd said goodbye, but somehow that made it even worse.

Michael didn’t say anything this time but he stayed there, and for me right now that was enough.

I couldn’t believe it, first my parents, now my brother. When would it end? I wouldn't say I regretted my choice to tell my parents, but it was hard watching the people you'd grown up caring about throw you away like that through one choice. I wasn't sure how much longer I could keep playing this game.

 


	21. Trapped

"So, Luke's moving to my place, today right?" Ashton asked when Michael and I arrived at school a few days later.

I nodded to my bag, it was completely full. I guess it did contain basically my whole life right now. It was difficult living out of such a small item.

I think it was going to take me a little while to get used to it. I had a bit more room in it now since I'd left all the comics at Michael's. It had been great staying at his place the last few days. His parents seemed happy for me to stay, especially once Michael had explained to them what my situation was. I'd felt comfortable there. I hoped that staying at both Ashton and Calum's over the coming weeks would be the same.

Michael nods, "Yeah I think so? We worked that out, already didn't we?"

"Then in a few days, it's my place, right?" Calum said, as he pulled on his bag strap.

I was a little nervous, I hadn't been over to Ashton's before so I wasn't sure what to expect. Calum had offered to go first but he had relatives visiting that needed the spare bedroom so that was out of the question.

"I already asked mum, she just thinks you're a friend that needs a place to crash for a few nights." Ashton nods at me. He still wasn't up to telling his mum the real story.

"We'll have to share a room, but that should be alright?" He adds, looking a little nervous.

I nod, I would take anything right now. I was grateful to even have somewhere to sleep. So, it wouldn't be a problem. "Of course, thanks Ash."

"Good." He smiled.

"Just try not to run into anymore hunters." Michael says.

"The other day was bad enough." I agree. I knew what he was talking about, the vision of Michael's uncle and my brother together was still haunting me.

"What do you mean the other day? Who are you talking about? " Ashton asked,

Michael and I shoot one another guilty looks. We'd both forgotten to tell them about what had happened on Sunday morning. I guess it had never been brought up. We hadn't seen the two of them until the Monday and both of us had basically forgotten all about it.

"Well Luke and I may have stumbled across some new and returning hunters in town." Michael asked, I could see him keeping a careful eye on me as he said it. I think we were both doubting telling them about my brother and his uncle.

"Who?" Calum asked, with a concerned expression. "Did you know them?"

"Yeah, Keith's back and Luke's brothers with him." Michael says, before giving a sheepish glance at me. "I guess we forgot to mention that, didn't we?"

"I had no idea, you okay?" Ashton asks, a sympathetic look on his face.

I nodded quickly, "Yeah, I think I am."

I didn't want to explain to the others the conflicting emotions that I'd been experiencing about it. I hadn't been letting onto Michael about how nervous I was, so there was no point telling the others. I'd grown used to the idea of my parents being hunters, but my brother as well made it a different story. I didn't know what I was going to do if I ever saw him again.

It took me a moment to notice the fuming anger from Calum. His hands were balled into fists and he was shaking slightly. There was something dangerous about his expression, it almost looked as if he was about to shift but I couldn't be too sure.

"Great so your brother's a hunter now too? Perfect." Calum yells, throwing his hands up in the air. He looking around at the three of us, despite Ashton not knowing either, "When were you all going to tell me that?"

"I guess it never came up." Michael shrugged.

"You know Luke I'm starting to believe less and less that you knew nothing about werewolves when you came here." Calum said as he glared at me directly, his eyes slightly flecked with golden. He took a step forward.

"I swear, I didn't." I shake my head, as I step backwards. Couldn't he see that I was telling the truth. Why was Calum doubting me suddenly? Since I'd known about this, he'd always said it didn't matter.

"Calum, what the heck is your problem there's nothing he can do about it? " Michael asked as he glared fiercely back at him, pulling him a few steps away from me. "His parents never told him. End of story. I thought we all concluded that ages ago"

Calum closed his eyes. The angry mood coming from him was growing. I was starting to think maybe I should leave.

"Cal, are you alright?" Michael asked, pulling him around so that they were facing each other. He could probably sense what I was.

"Of course, your defending him." Calum glared, as his eyes snapped open, "You were the one who said that if something like this happened..."

"That was over two months ago, we didn't know who Luke was then." Michael said. "Why are you carrying on like this, Luke's done nothing wrong or anything to make us think he's not loyal to us."

I nodded, I would've sold them out long ago if I didn't believe them.

Calum pushed Michael off him, and turned to look at me, "I'm sorry Luke, but for the moment I can't trust you." With those words, Calum marched off. Leaving the three of us in stunned silence.

"He's always said it was fine though, just because my parents are hunters doesn't make me one." I said quietly after a few moments. It's not like I'd done anything.

"It's okay Luke, he still knows that. We still know that. He's just suspicious. It'll blow over in a day or two." Michael says with a warm smile.

Ashton sighs, crossing his arms, "I do find it odd though that your parents would train your bother and not you. Then lie to you about it."

"Maybe there's a reason you were never trained?" Michael frowned, "Even if they choose not to, most hunters kids are trained of some description; even if it's just to recognise werewolves."

"So now we're all concerned because I'm not a hunter." I say.

Michael shook his head, "That's not what I mean, there has to be a reason. Maybe Calum's starting to worry that you've been sent in to spy on us or something."

"Come on you all know by now I'm not here to do that." I sighed, "Besides, I thought that was you who was concerned about it?" I asked.

Michael shrugged, "I was, but I know what the hunters are like. I'm more concerned that they're planning something. I don't understand what Calum's problem was, I guess he's just stressed out right now and had to take it out on someone."

"Perhaps we should go somewhere else for a while, and hope they don't find us." Ashton says, "I think it would be good for all of us to take a break from worrying about the hunters being here."

"No not yet." Michael shakes his head, "It hasn't gotten that bad. They might follow us anyway. Besides, I thought you were the one that didn't want to leave your family."

Ashton looks away, "Yes, but you guys-"

Michael sighed, seeming far away, "Though, the four of us going around as normal is just making us sitting ducks for them."

Ashton nods, "That's my point, Michael. They know who we are-"

"They have records." I said thinking of the files on my mother's desk. I was sure there would be one for Ashton and myself by now.

"Yeah there is that too." Michael said.

"I wish there was something I could do to stop them, to make them understand about us even." I sigh.

"Don't we all." Michael sighed. "Unfortunately, I tried that one myself. It doesn't work."

I sighed, he was right. That had been one of the catalysts for what had happened with the hunters, and in turn Calum making him a werewolf. I wasn't about to try to do the same thing.

"So, we're just going to keep going until one of us gets captured, or worse?" Ashton asks, when neither of us say anything.

"Well no, that's not what I-"

Ashton shakes his head, "It's okay, I don't need to hear it. All this talks getting a little deep for me, I'll see you both later."

"Oh okay." Michael and I say, as Ashton leaves as well.

"Ash is right though, I think our biggest question is why they never trained you?" Michael frowns, once Ashton leaves, "The only explanation I would have would be a medical condition, but you didn't have one, did you?"

I shook my head. Not that I knew of.

Michael looked slightly disappointed for a moment, "Never mind, we'll get to the bottom of it."

*************************

When school was finished for the day, I left with Ashton. I hadn't been over this side of town yet. The first thing I noticed was that it was like Calum's, with lots of trees backing on a few rows back from the houses.

We walked into the hallway, the first thing I noticed was that there was a woman sitting on the sofa. She had a piece of paper and seemed to be marking things off on a list and packing items into boxes. She turned her head, as we entered.

"Ah so, Luke this is my mum." Ashton prompted to the woman. "Mum this is Luke, who I was telling you about."

She smiled warmly, "Hello, it's so nice to meet you."

I nodded back, returning her smile. "Hi."

I spent the next few moments introducing myself.

"Before I forget, Luke, do you want a drink?" Ashton asks, "Is water okay?"

I nodded, and Ashton quickly left the room.

"Ash doesn't have guests over very often." She sighed, her voice slightly lowered, "I know he's always going out with Michael and Calum, I mean he is still friends with them, right? "

I nodded, "Yeah, we're all friends. They've all been very welcoming."

Ashton returned to the room with three glasses in his hands, he gave one to me a small smile on his face.

"How was your day mum? " Ashton asked as he gave her a glass of water.

Ashton's mother frowned, "Well we had a very strange visitor today. Some crazy woman saying you were a werewolf. I mean honestly, some people are pretty crazy."

I noticed Ashton's face paled as white as a ghost.

"Ah, really?" Ashton said, kind of nervously.

"Blonde hair, blue eyes. She tried to tell me she was the mother of a friend of yours. Wouldn't tell me whose though. Does she sound familiar?"

I froze, she was giving an exact description of my mother. Well she was a mother of a friend of Ashton's at least she hadn't lied about that part.

_'Maybe you should tell her, Ashton.'_  I concentrate.  _'It sounds like my mother was trying to turn her against you, she should know.'_

I notice Ashton look back at me, his face still slightly pale.

_'No. Not yet.'_

"Some people will believe anything." Ashton says instead.

His mother sighs, "I know right. People in this town are crazy! I mean trying to tell me my sons a werewolf. Must be some new religious group trying to convince people their teenagers need help or something."

Religious group? I wish.

"Yeah probably. " Ashton nodded.

"I did hear people were worried about there being real wolves around. You weren't planning on going camping, were you?" She asked.

"Nah." Ashton shakes his head, "The weather hasn't been right for it anyway."

His mum looked relieved. "Good, you can never be too careful."

We stay talking to Ashton's mum for a little while. Until Ashton asks, if I want to put my stuff in his room. As I followed Ashton out the room. I paused and smiled at her, "Also, thanks for letting me stay here."

"You're always welcome if you need somewhere to stay Luke." She nods, and returns my smile.

I didn't mention that I'd probably be over here quite often, now that I was floating between houses. So, I would probably have to take her up on the offer.

I followed Ashton down the corridor until we came to a room.

An assortment of Cds and crates of records were over to one side. I put my bag down beside them. A mattress was set up beside the bed, a pile of towels and such sitting on top of it. I couldn't help but smile a little I guess that was where I was sleeping.

"I knew you didn't have a lot of stuff when you left. Michael kind of mentioned you'd forgotten a few things..." Ashton smiled, a hint of sadness behind it.

"Thanks Ashton." I meant it. Honestly when I'd left my plans had been to sleep outside, so a proper bed and anything extra meant the world to me.

I put my bag down and pulled some of my things out of it. I noticed Ashton smile a little bit at the Penguin toy. I could see a small plush dinosaur sitting on his shelf with the tag still attached. I couldn't help but wonder whether Michael had won it for him when they first met.

"So, I'm going to go outside. Like...go for a run. Luke, do you want to come?" Ashton asked nervously.

I nod because that was exactly what I felt like as well.

******************

We go for a run outside, soon coming to a small creek, surrounded by rocks. I guess he didn't mean as wolves because the two of us stay that way the entire way. It's kind of peaceful, I'm used to seeing the forest in hyper speed. Just running it like this is a welcome change.

Eventually we come to a stop beside the creek. I remember the guys telling me one afternoon that are loads of natural creeks in the area. It was great to explore each of them, they all had their own unique character.

"Luke, can I talk to you about something..." Ashton sighs as we sit down.

I nod, "Of course."

"I'm scared, about the hunters." Ashton sighed. "Not just for us. What if they come to talk to my mum again?"

"Maybe you should tell her then. Calum and Michael's parents already know." I say, "That way she already knows."

"I can't Luke." Ashton sighed, pausing in place, "It's still better if she doesn't know."

I decided not to push it any further, we'd all seen what had happened once I'd told my parents. Sometimes it didn't go well. If Ashton didn't want to tell her, I shouldn't make him.

"I just can't believe my mother tried to tell her about you." I say instead, as I throw a rock out onto the lake. I watch as it skids for a moment as it bounces before disappearing.

"It also mean's she's found where I live. What if she talks to my siblings? They're too young to know about this kind of thing." Ashton mumbles as he throws a stone out to the water.

"You have siblings?" I ask, glancing at him in surprise. I hadn't heard him mention them. I guess we hadn't talked that much about ourselves.

"Yeah." He nods. "My little sister and brother. You can meet them when they come home. They usually go their friend's places who live on the next street for the afternoon. They stay there a long time, so sometimes I have to go around and fetch them."

My mind flashed back to what Calum had said, there were so many other people who could get hurt by this that weren't involved. Everyone else's parents, siblings, it wasn't just about us anymore.

"If only my family hadn't moved here. Then the hunters wouldn't know about you all. It was cruel what Calum said about not trusting me but he was right." I say.

Ashton shrugs, "Don't say that. Then we wouldn't have met you. I bet your parents would've been training you to be a hunter by now. If what Michael's told me about them is true, you would've been miserable."

I shivered at the thought, it was weird to think how differently things could have turned out after that day if I hadn't been hurt.

"We're all just scared I guess." Ashton sighs, as he pulls at the grass. "We don't know what they came here to do. We can only assume that it’s something to do with us."

"Yeah." I nod.

_If you were a hunter you'd have tried to kill them by now._  I thought to myself. Then who would have been the real monster?

When I pictured hunters in my head I always imagined them like they were an axe murder out of some horror movie. I started to imagine myself that way and shook my head. It certainly wasn't me.

"Do you want to go in the water?" Ashton asks. "If we go further down as wolves it'll be better.

"Alright." I nod.

Ashton's eyes flickered to golden as the two of us, did a quick check of our surroundings, just in case. We seemed to be the only ones around still.

It didn't take much to shift today. A few seconds later we were wolves again, Ashton standing right beside me.

' _Let's go, I'll show you the way.'_

That was when the scent hit me, I recognised it well now, something human like but all wrong. It had been on my parents, on all of them. It was no surprise the others had stayed away from me at first.

_'Wait.'_

Ashton glanced back at me in confusion.

_'Oh no.'_  He thought back. _'You don't think it is one of them?'_

I nodded.

I saw the silhouette appear from behind Ashton. He panicked, darting to stand right beside me. We couldn't leave now.

I let out a low growl, hoping that might deter them if they were alone. I looked behind them, there seemed to be only one. As they stepped forwards, I totally backtracked. I stepped backwards in surprise, almost stepping back onto Ashton.

"Luke?" The hunter asked, his eyes searching in recognition.

I nodded at him.

I noticed Ashton watching me carefully from behind. I think he knew who it was by now as well.

"I can't believe it's you." He muttered. "Wow, this is so weird."

I nodded again. There wasn’t much else I could say to him like this, I could only communicate with someone else in the pack. I sighed, I guess I should probably do the decent thing and shift back so that we can talk.

When I did, he stared at me for a moment, his eyes scanning over me in what looked to me like disbelief. Before I could open my mouth, his eyes widened and he turned on his heel and ran like hell.

_'Can't choose your family.'_ I sigh as I look back at Ashton.

Ashton shook his head.

_'He's probably just a little frightened, perhaps that hadn't been the best idea.'_

_'What was I supposed to do?'_ I asked him.

_'I don't know. I think you might have scared him by doing that.'_

Maybe Ashton was right. I thought of how I'd reacted when I'd first seen Calum shift. It wasn't an easy concept to get your head around. Especially if it was someone you knew so well.

_'I wonder what he was doing out here, anyway?'_ I say instead.

Ashton flicked his tail, _'Who knows? Let's hope we don't find out.'_

I sighed, shifting back. Going for a swim still seemed like a good idea. _'Shall we continue?'_

_'I don't know, maybe we should be getting back?'_ Ashton said. _'There might be more hunters out here. We're best not to risk it.’_

I heard a loud rustle of leaves from behind us. Ashton and I both jumped as we turned in the direction of it. My heartbeat quicker in my chest.

_'Not again.'_ I say. I’m thinking that it was another hunter, or even just my brother.

Instead it was a much smaller shape. Another wolf, I realised. Once I saw the fur colour I knew it was Michael. My heart rate slowed, Michael I could handle.

_'Thank god. I found you both. Your moods have been all over the place again. It took me ages to find you guys. I was worried something had happened.'_

_'We're fine. Michael. Ah-thanks for making sure we're okay though.'_ I say quickly, Ashton nods.

_'What are you both doing out here anyway? I thought we were going to stay away from here. Unless we were all together. I was worried when I realised you were both out here. That's why I came.'_ He asks.

I'd kind of forgotten about that. I think Ashton had as well. The two of us glance at each other guilty looks on our faces. Michael sighs, _'Calum's already in a shit mood, what's he going to do when he finds out that you've both been out here.'_

_‘Well….’_ Ashton says. _‘Maybe we should shift back. This might take a while.’_

Michael nods. After the three of us shift back, Ashton explains everything to him about my brother and what had happened to between our mum’s.

"You know Ash I've been telling you for months, just to let your mum know what's going on. Calum's mum and my parents are cool with it. Your mum's great, she'll understand too. Imagine how much less sneaking out you'll have to do." Michael says, when Ashton’s finished.

I like how he left off my parent's reaction, but I bite my tongue. From what I'd seen though Ashton's mum did seem like the understanding type. Unlike my parents, she'd probably understand.

I nodded, "I think Michael's right, better to hear it from you than if my mum comes along again."

Ashton frowns, he drums his fingers for a moment as he looks out at the creek, "Look alright, both of you. I'll think about it."

Michael looked proud of himself. “Good.” He grinned before he let out a sigh, "We're idiots standing around out here, so if we’re done out here we should probably head back into town."

"We were just heading back to mine; do you want to come back with us?" Ashton asks.

"Yeah, that would be awesome." Michael nods.

"Perhaps, we should see if Calum wants to come too." Ashton says.

"Nah, he's busy this afternoon." Michael said quickly.

I thought about the way Calum had acted this afternoon. I would rather he wasn't around anyway. I found myself oddly relieved by that.  

Michael stood up, as did Ashton and myself to leave. I stood behind Michael as spun on his foot to change direction. We both took a step forwards and the ground seemed to be lifted from beneath me. My vision was a blur as I felt my feet catch, as I was lifted into the air. I closed my eyes for a second. There was a scream from behind me, right as I collided into the back of someone else. Something rough and harsh moved around my face. I opened my eyes finding a roped bit of netting in front of my eyes. I could see Ashton still on the ground, sitting up backwards, a look of horror on his face. I could hear Michael breathing beside me.

_'What the heck did we do?'_

 


	22. Tempting Fate

I was in a moment of complete panic, I felt the air leave my lungs for a moment as I tried to work out what had just happened. Rough itchy material dug into my skin as I struggled to support myself. All I could see was grass miles below and the shadowy crisscrossed lines blocking it. I sat up as I focused my vision realising that Michael and I were no longer on the ground, but had been caught in a net. I couldn't help but think of how ironic this all was, Michael and I had been the ones that had escaped last time. Yet here we were.

I knew straight away that we had to get out of here. My eyes searched above us for some extra section of rope or pulley that I could reach to bring the whole thing crashing down, but I couldn't see any.

"Damn." I heard a voice mutter, I knew from the tone that it had been Michael.

"Guys are you alright?" Ashton calls from the ground, I can faintly see him through the gaps in the rope. He looks petrified and is slightly shaking in shock, "Let me see if I can find the end of the rope to get you both back down."

The net swung slightly as I felt Michael move around behind me. I could see him trying to look past me to where Ashton was below. He frowned.

"No. Ashton, go. I bet its triggered an alarm, it would be worse if they catch you trying to get us out. Your better to be as far away from here as possible. Find Calum and tell him what's happened." Michael called to him in an urgent tone.

I raised my eyebrow, why couldn't we just communicate with Calum mentally? I tried for a moment to sense him, but came up with an almost blank. That's right, he'd been blocking the three of us out all day. Bad timing on his part, we needed his help.

Ashton hesitated for a moment, before he nodded. "Look after yourselves alright?"

"Don't we always?" Michael spoke back. "We'll be fine here for now."

"Yeah, I guess so." Ashton replies, not looking convinced.

Ashton gave us one last glance before he shifted into a wolf and raced away from us. I felt more nervous now that it was just the two of us. It was eerily silent, as we shifted into a comfortable position within the net. I could see Michael's face once we did so, as we'd managed to sit so we were facing each other.

"We can find a way out of here before they come, can't we?" I ask, looking at him hopefully.

"Maybe." Michael says as he examines the net. He tugs at it but ends up frowning. Not a good sign.

"Do we shift?" I ask with a nervous tone. The one word answer hadn't been promising.

"No. Too dangerous. If this is a trap meant for wolves. We've got more chance of getting out of here like this." Michael explained, "But perhaps we can use the weight to pull ourselves down. It looks like it's only been designed for one person-or wolf."

It was cramped in here, I think Michael was onto something. I thought about what happened if you overloaded something. It broke. Perhaps, if we could put enough pressure on the net, we could break it enough for the two of us to escape.

I nod, "You push one side of the net, I'll go the other."

"Okay." Michael nods. He suddenly looks more determined as he grabs the sides of the nets and pushes down with his feet.

I do the same, I half-stand up within then net and I push down with all my strength. The net wobbles a little and I can feel myself slipping. The ropes are thick, strong and clearly not designed to be broken. We'll be here for hours at this rate. Sure, we were strong but I don't think it was enough to break the ropes free. All we were achieving was making the net swing from side to side.

I flopped back in frustration. Michael gave up a few seconds later. We looked at each other wordlessly in defeat.

"Sometimes I really wish I still carried around that stupid sword from my hunter days. It would be handy right now. It would cut through this easy." Michael muttered as he lent back on the other side of the net.

"Yeah, it would be. Though when was the last time you needed it?" I asked.

"Like three years ago." He sighed, "So it probably would've been useless carrying it around for so long."

I nod. "Yeah."

Over time, we continue to make futile attempts to break the net; each proving to be useless. I don't think we're any closer to breaking this thing. The sky is beginning to turn to orange. I know that it'll be night soon.

"It's getting dark." Michael frowned as he looked up at the sky, noticing what I did, "I wonder if we'll be here all night."

"Ashton might be back by then." I say.

Michael nods, "I hope so, it shouldn't take him too long to find Calum."

Though he was blocking us, so I wasn't sure of Ashton's chances. I tried again to see if Calum was still blocking us and he was. Not a good sign. I felt for Ashton but the bond felt kind of sketchy and kept dropping out when I tried. I hope that means that he's still okay.

"Shall we try again?" I ask, for what seems like the hundredth time today.

"Yeah, there's not much else we can do." Michael agrees, as he sits up once again.

We go back to pushing on the net, I hear it creak but it doesn't seem to be achieving much else. Why won't it just break. You'd think two people with supernatural strength could break this thing, but I guess not.

"I hope this isn't a false alarm, apparently one of the other traps was set off as well."

I heard a voice, both Michael and I paused. Both of us stop pushing on the net at the same time. We looked at each other in fear. It sounded like hunters had arrived. They'd said another trap had been set off, had it be Ashton? I hoped he hadn't, otherwise Calum was the only one that hadn't been captured, and it would take him a while to find out that the rest of us had.

There was a clicking noise and the trap seemed to lower. I looked at Michael hoping that he had an idea, but he stared back at me blankly.

' _Do you think we can try and shift once we get to the ground?'_ I asked, hoping that would prompt him.

' _No, stay human or we'll lose time.'_ Michael thinks back, as he seems to snap out of his blank state with the shake of his head, _'it'll give us a second whilst they work out who we are. Once we're clear we can. I'll tell you when.'_

All I could do was wait nervously as the netting clicked lower and lower towards the ground. I hope Michael had a plan beyond that because I had no idea how we were going to make it out of here with just that.

The net hits the ground, and the whole net jerks for a moment. There's a resounding click and the walls of the net seem to collapse. I stared at them for a moment in slight awe.

 _'Let's go.'_ Michael thought out to me, as he leaped up. He barely gave me a second glance as he went, he headed towards one of the people right as they emerged from behind one of the trees. He raised his arm hitting them squarely in the jaw. They stepped backwards and Michael kicked at them, pushing them to the ground. A second person came along behind him and Michael attacked them without even looking.

It was incredible, I had no idea he could fight like that. Sure, I knew he'd been training to be a hunter before all this. He'd clearly underestimated how good he was at it because I felt more like I was watching a superhero in an action movie than Michael. It made me wish I'd taken my parents up on the offer, I could've learnt to do that too. then I wouldn't be sitting here cowering, letting him fight my battles.

Realizing that I was still just sitting there, I pulled myself up. I dusted myself off, noticing that I was covered in dirt and leaves that had probably been flung up with us in the net. I look around us, it appears there had only been the two of them. Michael held them both to the ground with both his arms and feet, one in each.

"You leave us alone? You got that?" He yelled at them.

I hear small murmured agreements from the two people. Michael nods in satisfaction.

"Now get out of here." He says moving his feet and arms from them. The two people get up and quickly scamper away like scared rabbits.

That was when I noticed someone dressed in black coming towards me. Hesitantly, I kicked at them. It knocked them away for a second, but I felt someone grab my shoulders pulling me backwards. I struggled for a moment, trying to push back onto them so that they would release me.

A few seconds passed, and suddenly I felt the weight lifted away from me, and my shoulders were free again. I spun around just in time to see that Michael had slipped in and had made a single punch at my attacker. They fell backwards with a small gasp of air. He kicked at the other person that was getting right back up again. They fell backwards and didn't seem to move again. I stared for a moment, at the unconscious people. I hated hunters but I hoped that they weren't too badly injured.

When Michael turned back to me I could only stare at him. I was slightly petrified by his abilities. He'd done this to them so easily. It reminded me so much of the way that I'd felt when I'd first learnt of werewolves. But he did just save you, I reminded myself. You still can trust him.

"Come on." He hissed, grabbing my arm and pulling me forwards.

From there, I followed Michael through the darkening trees. I had no idea where we were going but I just wanted to be out of here. My heart was racing, I'd never been so frightened in all my life. I was watching every shadow as if something was going to leap out from it. Since I'd become a werewolf I'd always felt so at home out here but right now it seemed dark and imposing.

 _'We should be able to shift now.'_ Michael thought to me with a single glance back in my direction.

 _'Good idea, we'll have to watch for traps though.'_ I say, thinking of how Michael and I had so easily stepped on the last one.

_'Yeah, we should be able to see most of them anyway. I don't think the hunter's trapping methods have gotten any more creative these past few years. It should just be a few nets and ground traps so keep an eye out for.'_

Just as I saw Michael's eyes glow golden, I felt something tug at my foot, almost tripping me over. I winced as I pulled my foot back and forward but all I could feel was sharp metal digging into my skin. When I looked down I could see the circular metal object clamped to my foot.

 _'Wait! My legs caught!'_ I think out to him.

Michael turned back to me, his eyes quickly fading back from golden. He looked down at my foot in concern.

"Foot trap." He mumbled. "I was taught to disable these just before I left. Give me a second and I'll get you out."

Michael kneeled, getting to work. He yanked it, but it only made it worse. I winced in pain, as he tried again a few times. He paused examining it again for a few moments. I was becoming less sure that he knew what he was doing. The only other option I could think of was shifting into a wolf, but I didn't think that would help much either as my foot would still be caught.

I hear a shuffling of leaves, I froze. Maybe it's just another animal. I thought to myself. The noise was growing louder, which meant whatever it was had to be getting closer.

 _'Michael hurry it up.'_ I think.

 _'Sorry Luke, but this is trickier than I remember.'_ Michael frowns up at me. _'Just be patient.'_

 _'Break it, do whatever, just hurry it up.'_ I say.

He shakes it a few more times, it takes it a second before I hear a clicking noise and the weight left my ankle.

 _'Got it.'_ He thought.

I shook my foot free, when I lifted it I could see the faint sight of blood, but I could already see it starting to heal.

 _'Thanks.'_ I nodded gratefully.

I was free again, but we had to keep moving. How many more of these 'traps' were set out here. It seemed we had been right to avoid the forest all this time it was no longer safe for us. Had Ashton been caught in one as well on his way back?

 _'Let's keep go-'_ Michael froze.

A cloaked figure stood in front of us, a weapon pointed at the two of us. My heart sunk. Couldn't they just leave us alone, it was like being in a never-ending nightmare. Then I saw the blonde hair and blue eyes beneath it. It was my mother.

"Hello boys." She spoke.

Michael and I backed up together, I winced as I put weight on my ankle. I turned behind us, to see the group of hunters blocking the path we'd came. There was so many of them. We were stuck now.

"It's so nice to see you again Alex, or shall I say Michael."

My blood ran cold, and I felt a similar reaction from the boy next to me. Almost as if our moods bounced off the other. Of course, they knew who he was now. It was a symbol of how much they knew about us now.

 _'What now?'_ I think to him.

 _'I'm not sure if I can take this many. I'd say we should shift, but we might hurt her. Unless your fine with that.'_ Michael thinks back. He sounds slightly nervous.

She was still my mum despite it all. I sighed, I didn't want to see her hurt.

 _'We should give her a chance'_ I say. ' _We'll go from there.'_

Michael nodded at me, a look of understanding on his face. He took a deep breath as he turned to face her, looking directly into her eyes.

"We don't want to hurt you." Michael said, his voice was strong, as he held her gaze, "Please, lower your weapon."

She stared at him for a moment, her weapon unwavering. "No way. You made a monster out of my son. I don't trust you."

I opened my mouth to speak.

 _'Luke, shut it.'_ Michael said. _'It's not going to help.'_

I bit my lip instead, I was best to listen.

"Fair enough." Michael said, "I understand that. Keep that weapon on us if you must, but we aren't the enemy. There was a killer here only a short time ago, but they had nothing to do with our pack. If you had any decency you'd let us go and investigate them instead before they hurt anybody else."

"You killed my son." She glared at Michael. She seemed to have not payed attention to a single word that he'd said.

"I'm right here you know. Pretty alive if you ask me." I say quietly.

Her eyes didn't move from Michael's. Michael held her gaze, "Fine, if you want to put it that way, but it had almost nothing to do with us." He sighed, "I didn't want to have to do this, but you leave me no choice."

A second later, Michael punched out at her, she fell backwards seemingly surprised by his strength. I stood there open mouthed for a second, Michael grabbed my hand, pulling me forwards as we stepped around her just as she was pulling herself up.

"Sorry." I heard him mumble but I wasn't sure who he was saying it to.

I could hear the hunters following us, as we raced away. I turned to look behind.

"Don't look back." Michael spoke, his voice shaky. "Does- no good."

We skidded to a stop at the creek. I looked across at the long distance. But there was nowhere else to go.

We stared at the river. We'd need to move down further, but we didn't have time.

 _'I have an idea.'_ Michael thought. ' _We're going to need to shift to get across it. Watch me.'_

I nodded, curious as to what his plan was. He moved backwards, and started to run, as his feet left the ground he shifted. I saw him land on the other side with no problems.

 _'Your turn.'_ He thought to me. Just as I saw him change back to human form.

I took a deep breath, just a small leap and shift. I could do this. I took a few steps backwards to begin my run up when I felt my feet slide from beneath me, as the soles of my shoes lose their footing. I fell towards the ground tumbling forwards.

_'Luke, you okay?'_

_'Yeah, I'll just try again. I think my shoes are just no good.'_ I think back as I pull myself back up again, my head was slightly dizzy from the fall.

I relaxed my shoulders, taking another deep breath. I started to leap forwards when I was pulled backwards by my middle.

'LUKE! LOOK OUT!' Michael yells through the bond.

Thinking of what Michael had just done, I kicked out at them, but I was evenly matched as I try to race away. They pulled me tighter I flailed about in their arms. I tried to will myself to shift but their grip was too tight. I tried to claw at them bit it was pointless.

"Luke!" I heard Michael yell. I could see him poising to cross back over the river to fight them as they dragged me back towards the road. It was too late though, I was being pulled away. I didn't want them to get Michael either. If he came back over here they'd have him too.

 _'Michael get out of here.'_ I think out to him. _'You need to escape, someone's got to know what happened to me. You're the best chance we have.'_

_'But-'_

_'What did you just say to Ashton?'_

_'Fine.'_ Michael closed his eyes, _'Stay alive Luke, don't let them hurt or try to change you.'_

_'You too Mikey.'_

Then the bond died.


	23. Alone

My eyes flicker open. It was so dark in here. I blink a few times trying to get them to adjust them to the light, but it's so vacant in here that everything just looks a greyish-black. I try to move my hands, but find them caught after a certain point and I can feel the cool metal of chains around my wrists each movement causing them to dig into my skin. I turn my head, and can faintly make out a door to the left of me. It looks to be made of metal. I frown, I don't think I could get through it. Someone certainly wanted to keep me in.

The last thing I could remember was being dragged into a large four wheeled drive after I'd been caught trying to keep up with Michael. I wracked my brain for the number plate to think it back to the others, I could remember was the letter 'b' and a '43' somewhere in the plate but my mind was a blank at the rest of it. The bond had died before I'd been able to think it to the others.  

Where was Michael though? I hoped he'd listened to me and got himself out of there whilst he still had the chance. I knew the exact way to find out. What was the use of having a bond with the rest of the pack if you didn't use it in a time like this.

_'Michael?'_  I thought out. Wincing as a splintering pain shot through my head, telling me to stop. I remained still for a moment, as the pain subsided. That had hurt like hell. I'd known all along that it wasn't good to try and communicate with the others while I wasn't a wolf. What worried me was that this was the worst pain that I'd experienced from trying to do it. 

I was met with silence. So, I closed my eyes to see what I could sense of the others emotions. It was like grasping for straws, every time I thought I was starting to feel them I came to a dead end. It was so weird being cut off from them like this. I guess two months of being able to communicate with them at will had made me reliant on it.

It was hard to tell where I was, it was so dark that I wasn't sure if I was anywhere. I leaned backwards, finding a hard wall behind it. Well I was somewhere.

I strained my ears to listen to the noises around me. I could hear a motor running, an air-conditioner I think. I heard the click clack of footsteps that seemed to stop and turn into voices. They sounded close.

"They got the right ones though. The ones we wanted?" I hear a clear feminine voice say, as I hear a slight skidding noise.

I froze. The right ones? I thought of how last time the hunters had tried to catch us that Ashton and Calum had been the wrong one. I had to be with the hunters and they were talking about Michael and me? Please don't tell me they'd caught him as well. I bet he didn't listen and tried to cross back over the river to help me escape.

"You mean the Clifford and Hemmings boys?" A second voice says, it was female this time.

So, I was right. What could make us so special to them that they'd need to capture us like this. Not that I wanted them to, but wouldn't it have made more sense if they'd taken Calum? He was the Alpha after all.

"Not quite," The voice sighs, and my heart leaps, did Michael escape after all? "We managed to catch the Hemmings boy but not the other. They brought him in this morning."

"Perfect, he should be awake by now then." The female voice said, in an awfully cheery tone. "I need to talk to him. Do I have clearance to get in?"

"You should by now." The voice replies. "Good luck." 

I tensed as a white light came into the room from over at the door that I'd noticed earlier. The lights flicked on at full beam and a hooded person walked in. The person removed their hood, causing thick brown curls to fall from out of it. Her green eyes were piercing as they fell on me own. She was a lot younger than I expected, maybe only a few years older than myself. She had a deep red scar down the side of her face. She didn't seem bothered by it though, she wore it with a kind of pride as she sat herself cross legged before me. There was something almost childlike in her behaviour, as if this was her favourite part of the day. 

I didn't like her. Overhearing her conversation outside had made sure of that. If they'd sent someone like her in here, what did it mean for me? It was obvious that she was a hunter and to start off with that made her unbelievable.

"Luke it's so nice of you to finally join us." She spoke with a forced smile. 

_'Not like I had a choice.'_  I think to myself angrily.

"So, what's this all for?" I ask, instead, "You’re not here for a friendly chat, are you?"

"Is that all you wolf kids take us for?" She rolled her eyes, sounding fake shocked, "I'm actually here to discuss your release plans." She smiled, as she paused for a moment, she reminded me of a cat, always ready to strike, "but only if you can promise something in return."

Alarm bells were ringing on that one. What could a bunch of hunters want with me that they'd be willing to trade that. There had to be a catch for sure.

"Like what?" I asked, more out of curiosity than anything else.

She smiled, as if she'd been waiting this entire conversation to say the next part. "If you train to be a hunter and can convince your friend Michael to do the same."

Come on, was that really my only option out of here? I didn't want to be a hunter. I'd decided that a long time ago now. After everything that had happened with my parents I was even more against the idea than I had originally been. That deal wasn't really freedom for me, they weren't letting me go at all. Michael and I wouldn't benefit from it whatsoever.

Shit, what was I going to say? Most of the time I'd just sit back and let one of the other guys talk me out of a situation like this. Not here though. This was all up to me.

I decided remaining silent was the best option, you can't get hurt if you don't say anything. I simply blink at her, keeping my mouth tightly shut.

"I can see that you're interested." She says a little sarcastically, "We think putting our abilities together, yours and ours. We would make a great team. Create a new breed of hunters."

So, they really did want to trust werewolves to help them? Wow. Pity they hadn't worked out that we had no interest in that. Why would we want to hunt our own kind? We'd already turned our backs on them once. There was no way in hell I could convince myself to do it, just to get out of here. I couldn't see Michael doing it either. It wasn't worth it, I'd rather be stuck here for all eternity.

"We want you boys to be the first. You already have the knowledge, the linage and abilities that none of us possess. You can make up for what you chose."

Ah-ha this was what it was all about. I couldn't believe it, they still seemed to think I'd chosen this. They were horribly mistaken.

"You do realise neither Michael or myself would be interested in that. We made our choice, we're not hurting anyone. So why can't you just let us be?"

"Not all werewolves are like the two of you, we need you to do this. Think of all the good you could be doing for society." She smiled again.

"Still not interested." I said flatly.

Her eyes focus on me, "Michael will understand what we mean, he was training to be a hunter before."

"Things change." I said to her, knowing what Michael would say if he was here. "I think you'll find he's not quite the hunter you're looking for."

"He was the best hunter of his age, Luke. You don't forget these things quite so easily as that."

I realised something awful, Michael had always played down his abilities to us as a hunter, but she'd just said he was the best of his age. So, he couldn't have been as bad at hunting as he'd made out when we'd talked about it. No wonder they wanted him back, he'd probably been a future superstar or something like that. I thought of the way that he'd fought the hunters, that hadn't just been werewolf strength. Even if he didn't realise it himself, he had still been trained as a hunter and it lingered in every movement that he took. 

"Well I'll leave you time to think about it. I'm sure over time we can convince you of what is right-"

"Like hell you will." I mutter under my breath.

She must have heard me though because she paused and looked at me with her cat like grin, "We have ways of keeping people in line, even your kind."

I shut up. I knew nothing of what they could do. All I was aware of right now was Wolfbane and silver powder and I knew enough about those to be afraid of both.

"It's your decision after all. We'll probably have that Clifford boy in a few days so I guess you can talk to him about it then. We trust you'll both make the right choice. It's in your blood after all."

She stood up, seeming to suggest that the conversation was over. She gave one final glance at me as she closed the door behind her. 

I wanted to scream. Basically, if we didn't agree to train to be hunters they were going to find a way to make us suffer? What would and could they do to us? Quite a lot. I rested my head against the wall, just letting my chest rise and fall in effort to calm myself. I wished, that I could just shift and get the hell out of here and run the forest with the other guys. I didn't want to be here dealing with this.  

Shift. 

That was it, it was the one thing I hadn't tried since I'd made it here. I closed my eyes, focusing on it. But it was like dialling up the wrong number. I felt nothing, it was almost as if I wasn't a werewolf anymore. I threw myself back in frustration. No mental communication, no wolf. What else was there to do in here.

I opened my eyes again, at least they'd left the light on, which made the room seem slightly nicer. The walls were a sterile white. There were two beds. Nothing that could be turned into a weapon though, damn. There were no windows either. It was a prison cell. I realised that my hands were still handcuffed, but no longer to the wall at least, they must've been able to unclasp them remotely or something. I could move around now if I wanted to, but it seemed my movement would be limited. There wasn't a lot that you could do with your hands when they were handcuffed. 

I pulled myself up. Wincing as a splintering pain went through my head. I steadied myself on a chest of drawers, my finger slid along the drawers as I steadied myself.

I jerked back, as a searing pain went through my fingertips and any part of my body that had touched the drawer. When I jerked my hands back they were covered in blisters, unlike usual injuries they didn't seem to be healing. I noticed the bunch of purple flowers sitting on the bench. Then it clicked, wolfbane.

They were trying to keep me weak I suppose. That might be the reason my bond with the others wasn’t working and why I couldn't shift in here. It made sense I guess, I might escape that way.

"I guess this is real house arrest, huh." I say to myself. Remembering my conversation with Michael from one of the times he had helped me to escape from my room on a full moon. I'd thought being stuck inside had been bad then, but at least I'd been able to get out. Right now, I had no idea when I'd make it out of here. I looked over at the wolfbane, there was no way I'd be touching that again.

I sighed, thinking of Michael and the others, there was no one here to tell me that I'd be okay now.

Certainly, I could see the benefits for the hunters a mile off. Pity they didn't realise that I couldn't emotionally allow myself to kill wolves. All but one that I knew were some of the nicest most down to earth people. How did I know there weren't others like our pack out there?

Calum had even said it himself. I couldn't hurt them. I couldn't tear families like ours apart like they did. I'd learnt a lot this past few months, pack was like family. Win or lose we had to stick together. I thought of what Calum had said right before he walked off and felt guilty that it might have been the last time I'd ever see him.

I glanced down at the wolf charm that still hung from my wrist. I couldn't let myself think like that, at least not yet. No matter what it took I'd find my way back to them someday. Even if it eventually meant I had to pretend to be a hunter to do so. Not that it was exactly my first choice, but if it came to be my only option I guess I would have to accept it.

The door opened again. A part of me was scared it was going to be that girl again. I wasn't so sure I could take her again.

"Luke Hemmings you're coming with us for a moment, you have a visitor." The man said as he approached. A visitor? I guess I had to go. I followed behind, ready to accept my fate.

 


	24. Castaway

The corridors in this place were somehow even creepier than the room I'd started off in. I followed the male through blank almost sterile corridors. It reminded me so much of being in a hospital. There were beeping noises from machines and the clinical smell of way too much disinfectant. My only guess was that this was a base for the hunters, but so far no one had seemed to suggest or tell me where we were. Were we still in town or were we miles away?

Being separated from the others was the worst though. I tried to reach at least one of the guys again, but failed to make any kind of contact. Which could mean a few things, they were either ignoring me which I found highly unlikely considering the situation. Then again, this place could be blocking it, which would explain why I get couldn't contact any of them. Or the bond had simply run out as we feared. I hoped it wasn't the last one. I don't think I could handle being in that room again with no one to talk to.

They made me sit in a small dimly lit blank room with just three chairs and a table set in the middle. I felt like I was being dragged into an interrogation room on one of those cop shows. They'd have the light pulled up to my face demanding to know where the others were at any moment. I had a feeling that wouldn't be so far from the truth.

The door creaked open and I wasn't too surprised when my parents walked in the room. Part of me had suspected all along that they were behind this.

Still I will admit that I was slightly relieved to see that mum was okay after Michael's hit. The only sign of injury was a bandage wrapped around her left arm. She barely glanced at me as she sat across from me at the table. My dad sat beside her, an almost disappointed look on his face. I took a deep breath, I wasn't sure I was ready to deal with our problems yet.

"If it isn't the parents that kicked me out then decided it would be fun to try and kidnap my friend and I." I say, shooting daggers across the table with my eyes. "Aren't I privileged."

"Luke what happened to you?" My father asked, in an accusing tone.

"Didn't we already go through this? I nearly died, then Calum saved my life. End of story." I reply, folding my arms across my chest.

"Not end of story. Why did you do this? Why did you let yourself become one of those things?" My mother asks, leaning forward as she bashes her hands on the table. I'm reminded exactly of one of those cop shows.

I balled my fists beneath the desk. I was sick of all these people saying that, especially hearing it now from my parents too. I didn't choose this, I didn't let myself become anything that I could've stopped. Sure, I wasn't who I had been a few months ago. But there wasn't anything wrong with me either.

There was so much I could've questioned them about myself. I could've asked them why they kicked me out the house, even though I was sure from what Calum had said I knew the answer to that without even asking. I didn't even care if they still went around hunting werewolves, I just wanted them to accept me. I wanted to know why they had tried to tip Ashton's mum off about us? Why were they even here? It surely couldn't have just been for Michael, could it?

I sighed, there was so many things that I could ask them but I decided to shut my mouth. I'd decided back in the room to keep quiet, as much as possible and I intended to keep it that way.

"I'm not telling you anything. I have no loyalty to you anymore, this was the last straw." I say instead, staring back at them. "So, if you're expecting me to be a willing participant in with your stupid plan for Michael and me then you 're severely mistaken. We don't want to be hunters. We'll never agree."

"Don't be so sure." She frowned, "Spend some time here and you'll start to realize what we're doing is helping people."

"What by killing people that are just that bit different from you? Werewolves aren't bad." I bit my lip as I thought of Zoe the girl who had done this to me. She sure as hell hadn't been nice, she'd tried to hurt Michael when she thought he'd double crossed her. Despite the fact, he'd only been trying to help. I quickly corrected myself, "I mean some are, but so are humans. You don't see people who murder other people getting away with it do you?"

They had no direct response to that, my mother tapped her fingers along the desk refusing to meet my eyes once more. My father shook his head, but wouldn't meet my eyes either. It was true though, if people couldn't get away with murdering other people than why should they get away with hunting and killing werewolves. I don't think they'd thought of it that way.

She sighed, finally meeting my eyes. "What are you Luke?"

"Me?" I shrug, what a stupid question how else was I supposed to answer, "What else do you expect me to say?"

"I mean it, what are you Luke?" She asks, in a raised tone.

What am I? Oh.

"I'm a werewolf." I say, glaring her down. She knew the answer, why did she need to ask. "That's what you wanted to me say right?"

"No, that's incorrect." She shook her head, "You're a hunter now. You were not born to be this disgusting creature. You're going to make up for it by helping us."

True I wasn't like Calum, but I was one now and after what I'd seen I'd rather be one than a hunter.

"Hell no." I looked back up at them.

"Our families have fought this battle for years, you are a hunter Luke whether you like it or not." My father says quietly.

"Quit saying that." I growl at him. "I will never be like you."

"So, you'd rather be a monster?"

"The only monsters I'm seeing right now are the two of you." The words acidified on my tongue as I said that. I couldn't believe that I was talking to them like I was, they were my parents and part of me still did love them. I just couldn't stand for this. "I'd rather be dead than be a hunter."

"What about those boys then? What are they to you?"

"They're my friends." I say, quietly.

"Please, they're not really your friends, you've been made to believe a lie. They probably only try to be your friends because they want another member in their pack."

Couldn't they see that I wasn't that stupid. I knew that all three of us had just been Calum trying to save our lives, the best way that he could. They'd been nothing to do with forming a pack. I could still remember Calum telling me that he wasn't sure if he'd done the right thing turning us. He certainly wasn't after power. He'd just wanted to save us, he'd saved three lives.

"That's where your wrong. They're helping me. They like me, for real not just because of what we are. You know as well as I do that I've always struggled with making friends from moving around all the time. You should be happy for me."

"For making friends with werewolves?" My mother yelled back. "I'm not happy at all!"

I groaned, I wouldn't say that I made friends with werewolves on purpose. It had helped, but it wasn't why we were friends.

"That wasn't what happened, I didn't intend to make friends with werewolves. In fact, we weren't friends at first because they all hated me because they thought I was a hunter." I said, well possibly not Ashton but I didn't mention that, "Heck I didn't even know werewolves existed until I found out I was going to be one. They saved my life. We became friends that way."

"Even worse." She muttered looking disgusted.

"You know I made friends with a set of twins once, I later found out they were both werewolves. I thought we were friends too." My father's eyes narrowed.

"So?" I raised an eyebrow.

"You don't understand Luke." He sighed, "One night we were on school camp together, we were about your age. I'd only found out about them a few weeks earlier. I was so excited by the fact the twins were werewolves it felt like such a special secret. They said the full moon was coming up that night and that I should come and watch. I followed them out of the camp until we were further out into the woods. It was there that I met the rest of their pack, a few older boys from the year above us school. They cornered me. They wanted to build a bigger pack, they needed as many people as possible and they needed to be sure that they wouldn't have any reason not to trust me. Thankfully your mother was a hunter, and had noticed what was happening and followed us. If it weren't for her I'd hate to think what would've happened to me."

I sat there in silence for a moment. I hadn't heard that story before, in fact they'd never really mentioned how they'd met at all. I guess I'd never heard it for whatever reason they been hiding the whole werewolf and hunter thing from me. That must've been how they ended up like this, hunters, petrified of werewolves. If I'd been in their shoes, I'd probably hate werewolves too.

I remembered how scared I had been when I first found out about them, if it wasn't for Ashton calming me down I don't know whether I would've accepted this the way that I have.

"Look I understand what happened with them, but the guys aren't like that, I swear. Michael, Calum and Ashton are my friends. For real. Calum did this so that I wouldn't die, not because he wanted more in the pack he even said it himself. Multiple times. It's the same reason he saved Michael and Ashton, both would be dead by now if it weren't for him."

"People lie." My mother said, "Especially Alphas."

"Calum wasn't. Look, I'm old enough to know when people are lying to me. You can't tell me that you don't want Michael and I to be hunters so that there's more on your side. It's all the same."

"It's completely different, you even said it yourself."

I shook my head. "How is this any different? Those twins wanted dad to join them, you want Michael and I to join you. I don't know about you but I'm seeing a lot of similarities"

They had no reply, my mother shuffled some papers and refused to look me in the eyes.

"Make sure he learns his lesson." My mother says as she steps away from the desk. My father following her as he shoots an almost sympathetic glance back at me.

I hear footsteps, I close my eyes just as I feel something hit my face. It tingled and burned. I raised my hand to where it had hit. My hand coming back blotchy and red. It clicked, it had to have been wolfbane or perhaps more silver powder.

"Stop please!" I yell. "You don't need to do this."

Neither of them turned around as the door closed behind them. I wince a little as the tears start to fall. It hurt, everything hurt. It wasn't just physical pain either. I hated this. I'd never felt so powerless in all my life.

"We'll bring him back in and try again tomorrow." I hear someone say from outside the door.

Tomorrow? I wasn't sure I could do this interrogation session again. I couldn't figure out how to play their game. What did they want from me? To say yes and then skip over to Michael and get him to join in too? Neither of us were that dumb. Part of me was scared that was soon going to be my only option.

Through the glass door, I could hear them talking. I sat their idly, just listening as I waited them to take me back to that room. Right now, I thought that I'd rather be there.

"He's tougher than we thought. We all thought that we'd have him by the end of this alone. Then we could get him to convince the other to follow suit once he was with us. If this one's tough than the other will be even worse."

They didn't know I could hear them, did they? For people that claimed to be wolf hunters, they really knew nothing about us. What made it worse was that they were talking about us like we were just things to them. Even if we were to accept the hunters offer, we would never be accepted here. We weren't like them.

"We should've done this sooner. It was wrong leaving Michael with that lone wolf for so long, they've become so loyal to that pack. He obviously convinced Luke of the same."

Done this sooner, I couldn't help but wonder what they meant by that. Did that mean that they'd wanted Michael to go back to the hunters all along?

Eventually the same person from earlier, came and took me back to the room. All the white corridors looked the same until we returned to the room I'd started in.

I heard the door slam behind me. I winced, as the noise hit my ears. I noticed that a second separate room had been opened now, I recognised it was a bathroom. I caught sight of my reflection in the mirror. It horrified me.

Luke what did they do to you? I sighed to myself, as I ran my hand down the scar on the left side of my face where they'd attacked me with the wolfbane. My eyes were ringed with dark black patches from lack of sleep, the iris's flecked with golden. No wonder they thought I was a monster, right now I even looked like one.

They'd be watching me right now. so, I simply shook my head and tried to make it looked like I didn't care anymore. Let them think, their whole crazy plan was going to work. Fighting it completely wasn't going to be much good around here or they'd find something else to torture me with. Wolfbane and silver powder were both powerful enough.

I splashed my face with water from the sink, it was hard when my hands were still locked together, but I managed it.

I wasn't ready to cave yet. What worried me though was had Ashton or Michael made it back to Calum, I was beginning to lose hope of them finding me in time. Were they looking for me right now or had they just written me of as that hunter kid that they saved and was to be forgotten now that he'd been captured.

I grimaced at the thought, for all I knew, the others could be locked up like me somewhere in this building. Considering I couldn't contact them either, perhaps things were worse than that. No, I couldn't think like that. They'd find me surely. They couldn't be dead.


	25. Friends

I soon began to lose track of the days as time went on. A routine began to emerge, I'd stare at the wall for a while, then later I'd be sent to talk to someone. Sometimes it was my parents, sometimes it was the girl that came to my room. Then they'd get mad at me, and I'd be punished. The punishments varied, sometimes they'd be painful like the first day but most days they were just loss of privileges like furniture and such. 

Every day I tried to communicate mentally with the others but it was proving to be useless. I was beginning to lose hope, certain that I was long forgotten by them. I was so tempted to rip the wolf charm from my wrist and throw it. So much for being a pack.

It wasn't until early one morning, when I was sat on the floor that a glimmer of hope finally emerged. I rubbed at my eyes as they begged me to sleep. One of my latest punishments, had been the removal of the bed from the room. I think they were going to give it back to me tomorrow, but naturally I hadn't been sleeping very well.

I heard the door creak open, it was too early for anyone to be in here yet. Still, I noticed two human shapes walking in the room with an unusual item. I couldn't make it out properly, it looked large but was oddly shaped. What was it? I caught a flash of dark hair and I realised that it was a person. I blinked, thinking I was seeing things as they left them on the other side of the room. He glanced upwards at his captors his eyes filled with venom but he didn't say a word.

It was Michael.

No way.

I was so conflicted, I was glad to see him of course, yet scared as to the reason he'd made it here. I didn't honestly think they would be able to catch him, after his display the other night. Besides, Michael knew how the hunters worked. Surely, he would know what they were trying to do. I looked to the door, expecting it to open again, if he was here then where were Calum and Ashton? Had they been captured too? Were they all still alive? Was he here to help me escape? 

  
I watched carefully as the two hunters left, the door closing firmly behind them. I guess he was the only one. My eyes fell beside me, where Michael sat. He was visibly pale, his eyes dark from what I gathered was a lack of sleep. His irises were slightly flecked with golden and his hands were shaking slightly. He let out a scream of frustration as he seemed to throw himself backwards against the wall.

 _'Michael?'_  I thought out. I felt no pain this time. It was a good sign. It just depended if he could hear me?

Michael blinked for a few moments, he looked around at the ceiling frowning, until his eyes fell on me.

 _'Luke!?'_ Michael questioned, his eyes lighting up in recognition.

His response could only mean one thing.

 _'Michael!'_ I half grin back at him.

 _'Luke! I can't believe I found you.'_ His eyes searched me for a moment, ' _I'm so glad to see you.'_ He frowned _, '-but the hunters they have a plan and we're in a lot of trouble-'_

 _'Wait, did something happen? Are Calum and Ashton okay?'_  I ask. I was starting to feel nervous, where were they?

_'Uh, I'll get to that...' Michael said, his eyes cast away for a moment, 'I think they're okay.... but I can't seem to communicate with them right now to make sure.'_

I frowned, he couldn't communicate with them either? It seemed I could be right about this place blocking us. Now he was in here with me, we could talk fine. It was strange.

 _'I think this building blocks us.'_  I tell him.  _'I mean we can hear each other fine now that we're in the same room.'_

Michael nods,  _'Hmm, I think you could be onto something there Luke.'_

We sit in silence for a few moments, my thoughts are buzzing, there’s so much that I want to ask him,  _'So I'm guessing you heard what the hunter's want us to do?'_

Michael sighed, his head hitting against the back of the wall,  _'Yeah, I did. Me re-join the hunters? No way. You want nothing to do with them Luke trust me.'_

 _'Why are they giving us this option, why don't they just kill us?'_  I frown. I'd thought all along that the hunters job was to kill werewolves.

Michael sighs, _'We're both too valuable to them. I already have some training. You, well you're a Hemmings.'_

 _'Great my family name strikes me down again.'_  I roll my eyes at him.

Michael sighs, leaning back into the wall his head tilted upwards against the wall,  _'And so does mine.'_

 _'Honestly though what's so special about us anyway?'_  I sigh,  _'If someone gave me a sword I'd have no idea what to do with it. I'd probably end up hurting myself rather than doing what they wanted."_

A small smile appeared on his face, before he sobered up and shook his head, his tone serious,  _'Hunters have a big thing about bloodlines. Your parents are top hunters, so they probably think you will be too.'_

 _'Then you?'_ I asked remembering what that woman had said about him being the top hunter in his age.

_'Half-so, as I said before, my uncle is a top hunter. He's best friends with your parents and in the same league as them. So, it's the same deal. They think I'm this amazing hunter, maybe when I was younger, I was but not now.'_

So, he even admitted it himself, the hunters hadn't been joking,  _'You didn't mention this because?_ '

 _'I might have.'_ Michael sighed,  _'But I didn't think it would come down to this. Even Calum doesn't know, he thinks I was the dunce of the class anyway and wasn't too big of a loss to them. Being a hunter was actually one of the few things I've ever been really good at.'_

I sighed, it must’ve be hard for him knowing how good he was at it but also how wrong that it was.

_'So, you've been downplaying it to us, this entire time? Is what they told me about being the best hunter of your age true?'_

Michael's eyes grew wide. I think he understood what I was asking.

 _'Yes....they gave me awards and I was top in everything.'_  Michael looked at the ground with a small nod. ' _That was a long time ago. I never hurt any werewolves, Calum was the first one I met. I still practice the techniques I learnt from them, just in case. I don't believe in it anymore though, it's just to be safe. I want be able to protect you guys...at least I wanted to.'_  He looks at me, his tone dragging off,  _'Not that I did too good of a job at protecting us.'_

 _'You did your best.'_  I say, knowing exactly what he was referring to.

I silently hoped he never had to do what he did for Calum last time again. It wouldn't be like he could be fixed by being turned into a werewolf if he got himself hurt. Sure, we healed fast, but I was sure a severe injury from a hunter like he'd had back then didn't heal quite the same.

_'I guess they think with some training you'll be the same, probably even better than me.' Michael said._

It would be of benefit to them to have two hunters, who were as strong and fast as their opponents plus trained in their techniques. Michael was right.

 _'So, what's been happening here?'_ Michael asked, changing the subject.

Well I couldn't expect him not to ask.

 _'They've been trying to convince me to become a hunter by force.'_ I think to him,  _'They brought my parents in to talk to me and everything. They tried to tell me that I wasn't really a werewolf and that I was born to be a hunter. She said you all weren't really my friends.'_

Michael's eyes widen. ' _I swear if I could get us out of here. I can't believe they said that to you. I guess they'll probably do the same kind of thing to me too right. Until we agree and start listening to them...I don't want to train to be a hunter again. I don't agree with them anymore.'_

I nod, I felt the same way. There was no way I could ever agree with their values.

_'I feel guilty though, some of what they said was a little true.'_

I blink at him. Which part was he talking about?

 _'I'll admit I for one only started being your friend because Calum told me I had to once you were bitten.'_ Michael said.  _'I figure I should at least be honest with you about that. Ashton and Calum wanted to be your friends but I didn't. At one point, I probably would've been glad if you hadn't made it.'_

I stared at him for a moment in silence. I didn't know whether to hate Michael now for that. Had he been pretending to be my friend this entire time? I was so confused, why would've Calum done that. Maybe my parents were right about them, they really weren't my friends.

_'But before you get mad at me or Calum, you should know I do genuinely like you now Luke. I was scared, I thought you were a hunter and you were going to ruin everything we'd worked for all these years. Then I realised what a decent person you were Luke. Someone I wanted and was glad that was in our pack. I'm not friends with you just because Calum made me anymore.'_

I wasn't sure what to say that. When I'd first been bitten, I had thought Michael hated me. It made sense, he thought I was a hunter and he knew what they were like. Part of me wanted to be mad at him for pretending like that. But one look in his eyes told me that it had taken a lot for him to admit that and I could tell.

I smile at him,  _'You know what Michael that's fine. To be honest I wasn't sure I liked you that much in the beginning either. We're friends now and that's the main thing.'_

Michael smiled back at me. He looked a little relieved as well.

In another circumstance, I would've been incredibly mad at him, and made sure that he knew it. But I also knew that friendship was important and it was the thing that would get us through whatever the hunters had to throw at us, there was no point being mad at him. I think he knew it too.

He moved his head sideways,  _'Luke, wait a second, what on Earth happened to your face?'_

I blinked for a moment, I'd almost forgotten. I raised my wrists up to my face. Wincing as I felt a slight pain shoot across my cheek as I did so. _'The hunters happened.'_ I sighed,  _'As I've continued to disagree with them, this is what they do to me. I did have a bed in here too, but they took that away from me a couple of days ago.'_

Michael frowned.  _'Those jerks, they know nothing. Don't they see they're just making us hate them more?' He sighed, 'They can't keep it up forever though, and neither can we.'_

I frowned back looking at him with uncertainty, _'Michael you aren't meaning what I think your meaning?'_

He sighed, ' _If you can't beat them, join them? Not for real of course."_

I stare at him. I'd thought about it myself sure but I hadn't had enough for that yet. Especially with Michael here with me. That option was still far from my mind.

_"Of course, not yet.' Michael says, 'Only if we get desperate and both of us agree.'_

_'Calum and Ashton will find us by then, won't they?'_

_'I hope so.'_  Michael frowned,  _'We haven't been in a situation like this before so I don't know what's going to happen. It's weird not being able to grab onto them at all, even when the bonds down I can still feel it, you know.'_

_'Tell me about it, I haven't heard anyone for days.'_

_'Damn, I should've been here sooner, sorry Luke.'_

I shook my head, I knew that it wasn't he's fault. He'd made it in here somehow and seemed happy to see me. That was more than I'd started to expect and I was glad. 

 _'I'm curious though, Michael how did you end up in here too?'_ I ask, realizing that he'd never explained that.

He sighed,  _'It's all part of my now dreadful plan for busting you out of here.'_

_'What happened?'_

_'Well I ran into Ashton and Calum coming back into the forest a few minutes after what happened with you.'_ He looked away,  _'Sorry about that, by the way.'_

 _'I told you to do it.'_  I replied.  _'So, don't beat yourself up over it.'_

He sighed,  _'Well yeah... We knew that the hunters were looking for me too, they were everywhere. They were watching as we left school.... that one day we did go. We were so focused on working out how to find you that school seemed kind of useless. The hunters eventually cornered us, but the three of us managed to escape. We were worried because none of us could sense you properly, I just knew you weren't dead.'_

_'Long story short, I made it easy for them, I pretty much gave myself up. Problem now is that I can't get onto Calum or Ashton either. I don't think it's going to work unless they managed to follow me the whole way back here. I think I know where we are, but now I can't get back to tell them.'_

So, I guess he figured by sacrificing himself, the others would be able to find us that way. It would've been smart if we'd been able to communicate back to them, but in this case, it had turned out kind of stupid. We were both trapped now, and it seemed the hunters had what they wanted. 

I sighed, but if they did try and get me out of here. Then they must really be my friends or they would've stopped searching as soon as I went missing.  A swell of pride filled me for a moment, with the knowledge that my parents were wrong and that I really was a part of this pack.

I guess we were going to be stuck here for a while though. But, at least I wasn't alone anymore.

**********************

I sighed, looking up at the ceiling, Michael's already fallen asleep. I feel my own eyes grow tired, and I blink. It was so difficult trying to stay awake, but I was the one who had promised to do it. We had decided to take it in turns to sleep as much as possible now that there was two of us, that way hopefully one could watch out for the other. I was already failing.

 _Sorry Michael,_ I think to myself as my eyelids grow heavy and begin to close.

 _'Michael? Luke? Are you there? Can you hear us?'_  

 


	26. Escape

_'Michael? Luke? Are you there? Can you hear us?'_      

A voice comes through to me, I jolt awake in the realization that I've fallen asleep. I sit up, and start looking around the room but find nothing unusual. Michael is still sleeping, I can hear him snoring lightly. I could've sworn I heard someone call my name. I sit back in frustration, I must be hearing things.

_'Guys, are you there?'_ I rub my eyes and sit back up. That voice again? It sounded kind of like Calum I thought, but I hadn't heard him for days. I had to be imagining it.

"Huh?" I hear Michael say as his eyes jump open, he looks around the room. We exchange a glance, and I know that he'd heard it too. Maybe I wasn't imagining it after all. Was it really them?

_'Yes.'_ We both think at once. There's a pause and I begin to think that both Michael and I were reacting to nothing. It's probably just a hunter's trick.

_'You guys! Oh, my gosh!'_ A voice that sounds like Ashton thinks back.

_'Ash we must be close to them.'_ Calum's voice says in an excited tone. My heart leaps a little, it sounds exactly like them. Did this mean that they'd finally found us?

_'Yeah, I can hear them too.'_  The voice I thought to be Ashton agrees.

' _I think we can both hear you?'_  I say to them, I glance over at Michael who nods quickly.

_'So, you're together?'_ Ashton asks.

_'Yeah, we are.'_  I tell them.

_'Okay we're coming. We're just working out how to get you both out.'_ Calum's voice says a few seconds later.

Please tell me their plan didn't involve them giving themselves over to the hunters, as well. Michael had already proved that wasn't a good one.

_'They're really, here, aren't they?'_ Michael asks.  _'I'm not starting to go crazy, am I? Hearing voices is supposed to be the first sign of madness.'_

I nod,  _'I thought that was talking to yourself, but yeah I heard them too.'_

_'Phew, I was worried for a moment there.'_ He smiled back.

A few moments later, Michael started describing where he knew us to be to them. I sat back in relief that at least something seemed to be working out. Perhaps Michael's plan hadn't been such a bad one after all. 

_'Good, we're not far from there.'_  Calum said,  _'Any idea which side of the building your being held in.?_

_'Not sure, but you should be able to find us now that the bond's back.'_ Michael suggested. 

Of course, if I could hear them perhaps I could sense them as well. I closed my eyes. It was like a flickering candle flame, but I could tell that they were close. It seemed to fade suddenly, but I guessed that just meant they were out of range again because the bond was silent as well.

I couldn't fall back asleep knowing that Ashton and Calum were somewhere nearby and looking for a way to break us out. Michael didn't fall asleep again either. He'd started using his hand cuff to make patterns on the floor. There was a sense of anticipation between the two of us, I just hoped that they could pull it off. It wouldn't do any of us much good if one of them was caught, or worse.  

An hour or so later, the door to the room opened. I guessed it must've been time to make me feel like an idiot for being a werewolf and not a hunter again. Two shapes walked in, their silhouettes illuminated by the light coming from the hallway behind them.

"Luke and Michael, you're coming with us." The voice says gruffly into the room.

_'I guess they want us together now.'_  Michael thinks to me.

_'Seems like it.'_ I sigh. I was so done with all of this. I guess now that they had both of us they were going to try a new tactic. Maybe they figured they'd have a better chance of convincing us if we were both there. Like it would make much difference. Ashton and Calum couldn't get here soon enough. Hopefully they wouldn't try and find us now we were going to be out the room.

The door closed behind them, which I found odd, the hunters had never done that the entire time that I'd been here. The two-people lifted off their hoods at the door, there was something familiar and almost warm in their expression. My heart skipped a beat as I focused my eyesight. My eyes falling over the two males. They'd disguised themselves as hunters. How the heck they'd done that and managed to get to us, I had no idea.

_'Guys!'_ Michael thinks excitedly. 

_'Yes, we're here.'_ Calum nods, a slight smile on his face, he frowns at Michael, ' _Just please calm down Michael, you look like an overexcited puppy.'_ he thinks through in a stern tone.  _'You can't draw too much attention to us.'_

_'Sorry, but I am excited, you guys found us!'_ Michael says as he pouts back at him.

_'Yeah we did.... Now quickly, let's get out of here.'_ Calum smiles, as his eyes flicker between us.

_'They really wanted to make sure you two didn't escape.'_  Ashton frowns, his eyes on the chains.

_'Don't worry, Ash we should be strong enough to break them from this end.'_  Calum nods at him. He sounds certain, which gives me hope that it could at least be possible.

The two of them split, Calum walks towards Michael and Ashton heads straight for me. He kneels in front of me, as his slightly warm hands grip on the chains. He let out a grunt as he pulls on them, but the chains didn't seem to budge. He frowned, as he gave a glance over at Calum who is still pulling on Michael's. He let out another grunt and then there was a cracking noise and the chain broke falling to the ground with a clatter. Ashton grinned excitedly at me, as if he was amazed that he'd been able to do it. He freezes with a concerned expression.

_'Luke, what happened to your face?'_  Ashton blinks.

_'Wolf's bane. Trying to convince me to turn against you guys.'_ I said, having already been through all this with Michael.

_'Shivers. It must have looked bad before'_ He frowns, hovering his hand above it,  _'It should heal soon enough.'_

I nod, hopefully he was right about the healing. I didn't want to be vain, but I didn't want to have a scar on my face forever. I thought of the wolfs bane in the room, it had been in here this entire time. It was probably slowing down the healing process as well. That was probably the idea.

I could see Calum examining Michael's face on the other side of the room.

_'They didn't get to me like that yet. I've only been here with him a few hours.'_ Michael frowned.

_'I was about to say, you've been gone three days.'_ Calum said.

_'Three days?'_  Michael blinked.  _'I don't -I can't have been here that long-'_

_'Yeah, we're sorry it took so long.'_ Ashton said, he looked back at me,  _'Especially for you Luke.'_

Calum helps Michael to stand up and he quickly insists that he's fine to stand on his own.

_'We knocked out the security camera's so we shouldn't have any problems with those.'_ Calum says as he looks over at Ashton and me.

_'Geez, you two when did you both turn into such geniuses?'_ Michael asks, wondering exactly what I was.

_'Well actually that part wasn't us....'_ Calum said as he gave a sheepish look over at Ashton.

_'We're lucky someone has a clever sister.'_ Ashton nods back at Calum.

_'Yeah, Mali worked out when they were all on their lunchbreaks and how to disable their cameras as well. If we're careful no one should notice until we're gone.'_

I was impressed, I made a mental note to thank Mali next time I saw her.

With the chains gone, Ashton helped me to stand up. My first few movements were wobbly from being seated for so long, I wasn't sure if I'd be able to make it to the door. He glanced at me with a worried expression. He grabbed onto my arm so that he was supporting me, _'Let me know if it hurts, okay?'_

I nodded, trying to keep it together. I didn't want to worry the others. I was still feeling a little weak. Michael seemed fine, he still looked pale but there was a spark in his eye. He seemed to be determined to get out of here now that Calum and Ashton had arrived.

_'Hmm...we've got to do this properly. We are pretending to be hunters after all.'_ Calum frowned. 'We'll look a little strange like this.'

_'Yeah, you're right.'_ Ashton nodded.

_'Aggh Cal let go of me!'_ Michael thought as he pretended to struggle on Calum's arm, he grinned,  _'Is that better?'_

_'I see you didn't lose your humour in here.'_ Calum smiles, _'Maybe leave my name off though.'_

_'Oh right,'_

With Ashton supporting me, we managed to walk to the door. Calum and Michael had walked off ahead of us. Michael had already seemed to regain his ability to walk. My legs felt slightly weak, as we walked out into the corridors. I was afraid that they would give out at any moment.

We passed a group of hunters walking in the other direction. Michael and I quickly ducked our heads. The group barely gave us a glance, and one even waved at Calum and Ashton like they knew them.

_'So far so good.'_  Calum grinned, seeming to be confident after that.

We'd made it down a level of stairs, when we came to the next level. It was like the level that I'd been on the whole time but there was less people. I could see an elevator at the other end of the corridor. The steps ended on this level. I looked at the others, did that mean that we had to take it?

I held my breath as we followed along behind the others. There was no one here, we just needed to get to the other side. Everything was going to be fine. There was nothing to worry about. We were close, only a little further to go.

"Hey, we're only supposed to take one of them out at a time." A booming voice yelled. "It's only supposed to be the purple haired one today."

My shoulders shot up to my ears in fright. We were done.

"That's because we're taking both, permanently." Calum grinned, not seeming to be bothered by the voice like I was.

"Wait, you're not-" The voice yelled.

An alarm broke out in the building. I winced as the sound hit my ears, as I bent in pain. I'm sure even without sensitive hearing it would've been loud. Ashton beside me is having a similar reaction. Whereas Michael and Calum act as if it's not even affecting them.

All hell broke loose. Just like that people came from everywhere.

Ashton released my arm causing me to wobble for a moment. He grabbed an object from his pocket before throwing it to Michael, who nodded as he caught it. It seemed to extend as he raised it into the light and I realised that it was a sword. Was it the one that he'd been talking to me about the other night? I couldn't help but watch in awe for a moment as his eyes scanned over the approaching group.

The four of us backed up onto the elevator doors. Michael held the sword threateningly at the group. Calum handed me a small card, he pointed to the elevator. I stared at it for a moment and then back at him, ' _Get us out of here Luke.'_

I wanted to say, no. But, it was obvious that I had zero fighting skills and I was the closest. I spotted a plastic strip on one of the doors, that must be what the card opened. I quickly got to work by scanning the card through the slot. The door blinked amber. No, come on. This had to work. Two times, three. The exact same result. I could feel both Ashton and Calum's eyes on me as it continued.

Panic setting in, I swiped it through again being sure to press it in further, the door blinked green and opened. The moment it did I felt a pressure on my shoulder as I was pushed forward. When I turned to look, it was Ashton with Calum barrelling behind us. Michael glanced around and followed us inside too. He punched a small red button on the door and it begun to close behind. The hunters raced and dived at the door, attempting to stop us. But they were too late, I couldn't help but wince as one of their hands got caught in the door.

There were a few tense moments as we waited for the lift to take us down to the ground floor. I watched the numbers click down, expecting the lift to stop at any moment. I was scared that as word got around that the four of us were in here that it would become harder for us to escape. The door rolled open and we started running again, the light switching off in the building a few seconds after. I couldn't help but think that the lift had opened just in time. 

We ran, a few people looked up from their offices, as alarms sounded around us. I'd grown used to the noise by now, it's ringing barely affecting me. I heard someone yell, "It's them!" and "Don't let them get away!"

We came to a steel door at the end of the corridor. Calum tried the handle but it didn't seem to open. I looked back at the moving swarm of people behind us, they were getting closer we didn't have much time for this, they'd have us cornered. Ashton pushed on the, Calum and joining in too little success.  

"Let me try." Michael said, "Stand back guys."

The three of us stepped back as he raised the sword striking straight through the gap between the two doors. Nothing happened for a moment but when Ashton pressed on it, the doors opened straight up. I winced as the bright light from the outside reached us.

"Well I didn't say wreck it, but that will do." Calum half smiled.

The four of us burst through into the light. I took a deep breath of fresh-air. It was short lived as we turned to look backwards, some of the hunters were now spilling out the building after us. A couple of the people on the street were giving us all funny looks. I guess it must look weird four boys racing out of a building, one with a sword with a bunch of people chasing after them.

Calum looked at Michael, "Michael put that god damn thing away, people are looking."

"Oh, right." He said, and a few seconds later the sword seemed to shrink as he put it into his pocket.

The hunters seemed to pause at the end of the doorway. Muttering and cursing after us. I could only hear one or two people follow us. 

We raced across the street and into the park across from it. Once we're at a distance, and it appears we are no longer being followed, we collapse onto the grass. The noise of breathing filling the air. A wave of relief came over me. How the hell had we just made it out of there? Michael's stupid plan had worked after all. I looked up at the blue sky, it was amazing to see it again after the week in that small room.

I started laughing, it was so great to be outside again. I was finally free. I never thought that I'd be so glad to say it.

"Something's wrong with him." Michael frowned, as he sat up on one shoulder and looked over at me.

"I think he's just been inside too long." Ashton says with a slight smile as he sits up.

"We're out guys! Be excited!" I say, as I look between the four of them.

Michael grinned, re-gaining his excitement from earlier, "Well he is right, we did make it out of there. Thanks, both of you."

"Hey, it was a team effort, we wouldn't have made it out of there if it hadn't been for both of you as well." Ashton says.

"Wow, that was crazy." Calum shook his head, "But we did it."

The four of us joined into a hug. I wasn't the only one glad to be out of there.

"After this, I guess we have no choice." Calum looks at Michael, when we pulled away, "It's time to bring in plan B."

Michael frowns, I have a feeling I'm not going to like Plan B at all. I look at Ashton who seems to be about as confused as I feel, he sits up straight in alarm. He must not know what Plan B is either.

"So, uh, what's Plan B?" I ask as I sit back up again.

"Yeah, what is it?" Ashton echoes me.

"We're leaving town." Calum said, a slightly sad look on his face. "Right now, it's the only option we have left." 

 


	27. Runaways

Plan B, as it turned out was a long thought out plan of Calum and Michael's in case they ever found themselves in trouble. They hadn't really shared the details with Ashton and myself. However, it seemed besides searching for Michael and me; Calum had been planning it out as well, and before the afternoon was over we were already making our plans to leave the next morning.

"So as some of you know we're leaving." Calum says to the assembled group in Calum's living room. "After what happened to Luke and Michael. It's too dangerous for us here any longer."

I looked over the room, as I sat on the stairwell watching them. It was so weird, everyone's parents sitting here but mine. Even Ashton's mum was here, he'd ended up having to tell her everything. She'd taken it surprisingly well. Michael, Calum and myself had waited outside as he told her. They'd both cried for a while, but Ashton admitted that he was glad to have finally done it.

The parents had spent most of last night debating it, but they had all eventually agreed that it was the best move for us to leave. We'd assured them all that we would be fine and would look after one another. I hoped that we could keep good on that promise.

I stood to the side as everyone hugged and cried over our departure. There was no one here to say goodbye to me, so I just watched on. It was kind of frustrating, all their parents knew and accepted them. My family just kicked me out the door, at least they knew they were leaving with family to come back to. I'd thought I was starting to get over it, but having everyone else's parents here was one massive punch in the guts.

All at once I decided that I'd had enough, so I picked up my bag of stuff and headed outside onto the porch alone. Calum told us to pack light, but I didn't have much with me anyway. So, it was basically just all my stuff I still had on me from when I'd left home after the full moon. It hadn't been hard to pack. I'd spent most of last night helping Ashton get his stuff together.

I took a deep breath, at least I was glad of one thing. We were getting far away from here. After all the awful things that had happened, I was glad to be leaving. I'd found a family, but lost one in the process. So much had changed in such a short space of time. I hadn't even been here three months, but it felt like a life-time.

I heard footsteps on the porch behind me. I looked up, to find Ashton was the one walking down them.

"Everything done?" I ask him as he takes the spot beside me.

He nods, "Yeah, I think so. Michael and Calum, we're just finishing up when I left."

"This is it then huh." I sigh leaning back on to the step, as the sun began to peak over the horizon and turn the sky red. I knew we'd be leaving soon, Calum had wanted to leave before or not long after sunrise.

Ashton nods, "I guess we'll come back one day, maybe in a few months, maybe in another year or so. We've just got to leave until the hunters go themselves. If there's no werewolves soon enough they'll have to move onto the next place. Then we'll come back here. Well at least that's what the other two have planned."

Everything would be different though. I remembered a few years back, I'd gone to visit my old friends in one town. They'd changed so much. I'd only been gone a year. Who knew how long it would take for the hunters to leave? It could be days or years. I didn't have anything to come back here for like the others, but I knew what it was like, it would be tough on them.

"Yeah." I quietly agree, not even sure that if we could that I'd want to come back.

"We're not going to let them find us again." He said, a fierce defensiveness in his eyes, "Especially not you or Michael."

Sure, Calum and Ashton were in danger too, but at the end of the day the hunters wanted Michael and me. It was almost like they needed us. We wouldn't be able to escape so easily next time.

"We ready to go guys?" Calum says, as he steps onto the porch. I notice, Michael trailing behind him, his eyes looked a little red. Had he been crying? I think so. I'd been so worried about myself that I'd been barely paying attention to anyone else's emotions. One check of the emotions flowing through the bond and I could suddenly feel all the tension, anxiety and sadness the others were feeling. I felt a little guilty for blocking them out.

Ashton and I nod.

"Good." Calum nods back.

"Well we have some money and a car, where shall we go?" Michael says.

"We have a car?" I blinked at him. Ashton beside me looked surprised as well. Last, I'd heard we were busing it out of town. Having a car sounded like a massive luxury. I wondered how exactly we had acquired one.

Calum spun a set of keys around in his hand and pointed to a dark black car that was out the front. He grinned, "Turns out mum's been prepared for a little while too. I got my licence just before school started so I can drive."

I didn't have my license yet and I don't think Michael did either, but I was sure that Ashton had one as well. At least we'd have two people to drive then.

"I don't care, let's just get away from here." Michael says, as he walks down the stairs, a backpack on his back. I guess I wasn't the only person who wanted to escape, it seemed he'd obviously cried and was now ready to leave.

"In that case, let's just drive and see where we end up then?" Calum says.

"Totally." I agree.

Calum smiles, "I'm driving so...."

"Shotgun." Ashton yells quickly, he grins proudly.

"Damn." Michael yells, shooting Ashton a dirty look, "I was just about to say that!"

Ashton grins, "Sorry, Mikey but you needed to be a little quicker."

"That's alright, Luke and I can be the backseat drivers then." He grins at me, as he wraps his arm around me. "It's better in the back anyway, right Luke?"

I nod back, "Totally. You're going to regret calling shotgun"

Ashton rolls his eyes, and follows Calum as he opens the boot. With the seating sorted, the four of us load our gear in the car and take our spots. Calum barely starts the ignition, when Michael's already leaning forward into the front seat, his phone in hand. "If Ashton gets shotgun I'm in charge of the music." He declares, as he passes it to Ashton.

No one seems to argue with him. So, I guess Michael's music must be okay then, or he did at least have a point about not getting shotgun. I remember back to the day when I found all the hunters stuff in my mum's study. He did have good taste.

As the car rolls forwards, Music starts blaring out the speakers. Calum turns onto the road and I sigh as _'Cinderblock Garden'_ by All Time Low comes out of it. It was weird how sometimes you could relate to the lyrics more sometimes after a certain situation. I really hoped that we could make it through this.

*********************

We drove for a few hours, I watched out the window as we travelled through the rows of houses as we left the city. Before winding through a couple of small cramped back roads. Eventually we ended up on the highway which was surrounded on either side by huge mountains, or vast stretching patches of farm land.

It wasn’t long after we'd stopped for lunch with the food that Calum's mum had packed for us, that Calum made a sudden exit off the freeway onto a round-about. He indicated to the right, and we were soon immersed in countryside once again. Calum's stiffens a little, his eyes checking the rear-view mirror constantly. I can sense his fear through the bond, somethings not right. Neither Michael or Ashton seem to say anything as we continue along the road. Calum keeps turning off onto random roads, I wonder where he was taking us?

"I think someone's following us." Calum eventually mumbled quietly, as if he wasn't sure whether to say it or not.

No. I glance behind us, noticing a car with tinted windows. There's a couple in the front seats. They’re not my parents, but I can see them pointing at the car. Maybe they’re just lost? How many people would come out here though, there were barely any houses around here and we'd made so many random turns. It was odd.

"I'm going to keep driving, we have plenty of petrol and we'll lose them once we get back out on the main highway. I'll take some shortcuts to get back there. We'll be fine." Calum says with a slightly nervous tone, it sounded to me like he was trying to re-assure himself of that. It didn't give me a lot of confidence in his words.

I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, I could barely hear Calum now. I was no longer in the car. I could see the room again, I could feel the burn of the wolfbane on my skin. The crippling loneliness. Trying to connect to the bond, but having it only cause me pain. If they were hunters, and they caught us. I'd at the very least end up back there, and I wasn't sure I could handle it again.

"Luke, it's okay." Michael says squeezing my hand, as it shook. He spoke in a soothing tone. "They're not going to catch us. We're here together, we'll find a way."

"What if they do..." I say quietly, my voice shaking.

Michael looks defeated, his face paling slightly, "At least we'll have each other?"

Ashton turns around from the front seat, "Mm, we're not going to leave you Luke. Not again."

Calum turns road after road, taking a few sharp corners as he does so. I grip onto the seat, I feel more like we're four-wheel driving. I get it we're trying to lose them, but I feel like I'm going to be sick. I clutch onto the grab bar on the roof.

"Sorry." Calum mutters looking back at us in the rear-view mirror. "Everyone okay?"

Michael gives a hesitant look at me, "Super doper... I think.... "

"Yeah," I say, "Just lose them soon, okay?"

I see Calum frown from the front seat, as he focuses back on the road, "Hopefully I will."

He continues for a while, until he finally makes a quick turn into a block of trees. He brings the car to a stop and kills the ignition. Through the gaps in the branches I saw for a glimpse of a second the metallic colour of the car that had been behind us. It whooshes past. The whole car is in silence as we listen to it speed away.

"Think they'll come back?" Ashton asks quietly, his eyes on the direction that the hunters car had gone.

"Nah, they'll still think we're following the gravel road. That turn I did probably threw them off."

"I hope so."

When we were sure the car was gone, Calum headed off again. We had to be miles away now, it took us a while to get back onto the road again. Calum kept making Ashton reset the place we were headed on the GPS. I think he was somehow worried that the hunters would manage to find us through it.

A few more songs blast out over the car's speaker system, and some of them turn into whole car karaoke's no matter how ridiculous they sounded.

Eventually, Calum pulls up at the side of a hill. There's a sign declaring that camping was permitted. I have a feeling Calum must've done some research before we left. Though where are we going to sleep, I don't see any cabins or anything. The car would be too squishy for the four of us.

Wordlessly, Ashton and Calum jump out the car. I exchange a look with Michael who shrugs. He jumps out the car after them, and I do as well. Calum opens the boot up and Ashton moves the bags to pull out a long blue object. It looks like there's something inside, and then I see the word 'tent' in white writing.

"Are you trying to be funny?" Michael frowns, I don't think he'd been informed of their plans either. He seemed to know about the car though, so he'd known a lot more than I did.

"We don't have to sleep in the tent, do we?" I say slowly.

"Come on, you two. It's an adventure." Ashton looks at us like we're idiots.

Calum shrugs, he doesn't seem to be bothered by it like the rest of us. I guess it had been his idea, he'd known it was coming.

Much to Michael and I's dislike. The four of us got to work putting up the tent. It was a little tricky. All the poles and things looked the same the more you looked at them compared to the diagram. How was anyone supposed to know the difference from one pole to another from the awful diagrams. It seemed they were a little tricky even for superhuman sight, so how was a normal person supposed to do this?

The tent fell down a few times, as we misread the instructions. Somewhere along the line Ashton took control of the instructions, and the tent seemed to come up in just a few minutes. We should've let him tell us what to do instead of Michael. I was never trusting Michael with the instructions ever again.

It was getting late, so we headed for bed. The tent was too small for us to fit comfortably so the only way we would all fit was to lie head to toe with one another. The tent was supposed to be for four people, but it didn't seem like it. I was really starting to hate this running away and camping thing already. A part of me missed having my own room or at most only having to share with one other person.

"Luke, move your feet they're in my face." I hear someone complain, as if to prove my point.

With a groan, I move them hopeful that I haven't moved them into someone else’s. I stared up at the tent's ceiling. This was going to be a long night it seemed. I closed my eyes, but it was useless. I wasn't comfortable at all.

I woke up, sometime later to the sound of crying. I sat up in alarm, my eyes instantly scanning around the tent. Ashton still slept soundly beside me. Then I spotted the two empty sleeping bags. Calum and Michael were missing.

A wave of panic rushed through me as I poked my head out of the tent flap into the moonlight. I looked around the camping area, noticing only a beat up, homemade looking camper van parked beside Calum's car. They had an awning propped open that looked like it had been made of metal sheeting. A light had been attached and it flickered over an elderly looking man lying asleep on a deck chair. He looked harmless.

I closed my eyes, trying to sense through the bond where the other two were but the only other person I could sense was Ashton.

Then I spotted two shapes sitting on the riverbed, one of the shapes was trembling slightly as they fell into the arms of the other. I focused my hearing on them and it was almost as if I was sitting next to them.

"Ssh, Ssh. Mikey it's okay." I heard a voice speak in a soothing tone. I immediately recognized it to be Calum's.

For a moment, all I can hear was crying. Michael must've been really upset about something. I debated going over there, but figured if I did anything it should probably be to quit listening to them. Something compelled me to stay where I was though.

"I-I can't do this again, Cal. " Michael finally stuttered out, "I don't want to run from this all over again. I'm scared I'm going to wake up and all this will be gone."

Calum let out a sigh, "I'm scared too Mikey. I know we didn't have so much to lose back then as we do now, but if the four of us work together I know we can survive this."

"What's worse is that this time it really feels like it’s all my fault. If I'd never been a hunter, maybe they would never have known you or your pack existed in the first place."

Michael was blaming himself for this? But if it was anyone's fault it had to be mine, I'd practically lead my parents straight to us.

Calum frowned, "Let me tell you exactly what I said last time you brought this up. It isn't anyone's fault, we've all done things or been involved with something that could've caused this. Whether it was me being a lone Wolf and then turning all of you in the first place, Luke and your affiliation with the hunters. Ash joining our pack or even what happened with Sophie. We can't blame ourselves, we couldn't have prevented any of this."

Michael suddenly stopped crying, he looked at Calum his eyes still red and puffy with tears, "I haven't heard that name in a while."

Calum looked away, "My point is we can't change the past."

"I'm just tired of running you know." Michael sighed, as he rubbed some of the tears out of his eyes.

"Me too." Calum nodded, "All we can do now is try and make the best of it. You know I was thinking, there's supposed to be this amazing burger place a few hours from here, I think we should go there tomorrow."

"Wow, we're all going to get caught because we stopped at a burger place for fun." Michael replied skeptically.

Calum let out a frustrated whine, "That's not what I meant and you know it."

Michael shrugged, with a small smile, "I was kidding, it's a good idea."

They started discussing these famous burgers after that. I was relieved to hear them talk about something now that wasn't overshadowed by hunter talk.

"Luke." A voice sighed, from behind me in the tent. "What are you doing?"

I turned to find Ashton sitting up and looking at me. I wondered how long he'd been awake for and what he'd think of me eavesdropping on Michael and Calum.

"Those two are out there talking, aren't they?" He sighed, when I didn't respond.

I nodded quickly, as I closed the tent flap behind me and turned to face Ashton properly.

He frowned, "I know we're all having a tough time with this, but I think it's hitting those two the hardest. They put on a brave face but I think the two of them have dealt with so much before we even came along."

"Yeah," I agreed, especially after what I'd just seen it appears there was more to things than they let on. For one who was this Sophie that Calum had mentioned? "At least now they're talking about some burger place they want to go tomorrow so hopefully that's a good sign." I add.

Ashton looks relieved, "It sure is. I wonder if it's that famous one, up north. We'd have to be pretty close to there by now."

I hear a loud crash and then a giggle before the tent door zipped open. Michael and Calum stumbled into the tent, crossing guilty looks at one another when they noticed that Ashton and I were awake.

"Sorry, did we wake you guys up?" Calum asked looking between the two of us.

"Perhaps," I reply, "But we're both totally up for a trip to that burger place tomorrow." I smiled back at him.

Michael looked surprised, "Shit, were you two listening? No one heard anyone crying, did they?"

Ashton grinned back at him, "Nah, Luke and I only respond to the mention of food."

Michael puffed out a sigh of relief, "Okay good."

"By the way Michael if you don't want anyone to know you've been crying probably don't bring it up." Calum teased him.

Ashton and I nodded.

"You guys are the worst." Michael fake groaned, "I'm going back to bed."

True to his word, he took the spot he'd been on the other side of Ashton. 

"We probably all should go back to sleep," Calum sighed, hitting on his phone causing the whole tent to become illuminated, "It's late and we have a big day tomorrow if we want to get there by lunch time."

Mumbles of agreement filled the tent. As I headed back to my sleeping bag I couldn't help but smile, the hunters might be against us, but at least for now I could look forward to the prospect of what would hopefully be amazing food. Sometimes, you just have to live a day at a time. 


	28. The Edge

I stumbled out the tent the next morning, having woken up to find it empty. Like the night before, I'd been concerned for a moment. Until I heard someone counting from outside. I still couldn't see them so I searched around the tent, before resorting to my senses. It took me a second to find the three of them. They were a little way in front of me. Sure enough, I walked forwards and could see the three of them by the water.

Calum and Ashton were both standing facing one another, whilst Michael was walking around them looking superior as he talked. He nodded before stepping out the way. They stood there for a moment stepping side to side as they faced one another. This was so odd, what on earth were they doing.

I saw Ashton raise his arm and swing it towards Calum, who ducked still moving as he did so. His leg caught on Ashton's and the two of them fell into the water with a giant splash. Michael shook his head, I faintly heard him mutter 'amateurs' as the two of them emerged looking wet and slightly disappointed.

"Oi! I heard that!" Calum yelled, glaring at Michael.

Michael shrugged, "Maybe you should clean the water out your ears, I said nothing."

Calum climbed out of the water and dumped Michael straight into it. Michael let out a loud yelp and Calum jumped back in and pulled him under. Calum stepped back, allowing him time to resurface.

"Fine, I deserved that." Michael grinned, as his head popped back out of the water. Before, he sprayed a spurt of water at Calum.

"Luke!" Ashton smiled, being the first to notice me. His hair was unruly and wet as stood knee deep in the water not far from them. Calum and Michael both tilted their heads up in my direction at Ashton's greeting.

"Good afternoon. We thought you were never getting up." Michael teased.

"It's still morning. We were letting you sleep." Calum rolled his eyes, he turned to Michael, "And considering your usually the last out of bed, I don't think you can really talk."

Michael pulled a face back at him.

"What on Earth are you guys doing?" I asked, not sure what to make of the scene.

"Training" Michael said, he looked around, before pulling at his wet-t-shirt, "Though, I think it's turned more into a swimming lesson right now."

Calum grinned, letting out a small snigger.

"Hey, it's your fault I'm wet, so I'd shut it if I were you." Michael glared at him, with a slightly teasing tone, "You were the one who said I should train everyone."

"What are we training for?" I asked.

"What do you think, Luke? We should be ready if the hunters find us. Shifting into a wolf isn't always the best option." Michael replies.

He had a point, the night I'd been caught Michael had been faring a lot better than I had against them. If I'd known a few tricks then maybe I wouldn't have been caught.

"Michael's teaching us some of the old hunter techniques." Ashton adds, he gave a sheepish look at Calum, "but I don't think Cal and I are picking them up too well."

Calum shook his head. "We really aren't."

Michael sighed, "You're both getting better, but you still have a long way to go."

Calum and Ashton both let out a sigh. After that, the three of them waded out the water. Joining me back on the shore.

"Do you want to have a go Luke?" Michael asked me, when he sat beside me on the grass and began to wring his t-shirt out.

I nodded, it seemed useful to learn this sort of thing. Michael did seem to know what he was talking about, even though I wasn't sure whether it was getting to Calum and Ashton. Though, I had a feeling I was going to end up in the water too.

Michael quickly showed me a few different techniques like how to watch someone's movements, and how to hit back. I noticed Calum and Ashton were carefully watching him as well. I guess they were still learning too.

"Alright enough of me talking. Let's have another go. I'm sure you'll get it this time Ash and Cal." Michael encouraged once he was done.

"Hopefully." Ashton nodded, "I think I understand it a little better now."

Michael nodded back, "Hmmm, I think this time you can all take it in turns to go with me. That way I can focus on everyone individually rather than me just walking around. Especially when Luke's just starting out." Michael explained, "Calum do you want to try first?"

"Sure. Though should I be scared, going against the legendary werewolf hunter?" Calum grinned.

Michael grinned, "Yeah, you should be."

Michael and Calum began their practise. It didn't take long for Michael to get the upper hand on him. I analysed their movements carefully, it was clear that Calum was losing concentration as Michael seemed to corner his movements.

"I thought you were supposed to be going easy on me!" Calum protested, as he pulled himself from the ground.

Michael shrugged, "That was easy, and that is at least what you're going to face against the hunters, so get used to it."

Calum sighed, "Fine, you're right. I'm done. I think it's Ashton's turn now."

Ashton didn't fare too much better. I could see exactly what he was doing wrong, he was watching his feet and his arms, not what Michael was doing. He landed on the ground and admitted defeat.

"Alright, Luke?" Calum said.

I bit my lip nervously, I wasn't sure whether I was ready for this. Michael seemed so good at this and if Calum and Ashton were struggling I couldn't see how I could do much better.

_'Unlike Cal I will go easy on you. You're a true beginner.'_ Michael thought to me. ' _It wouldn't be fair.'_

_'Thanks.'_ I thought back to him. I was a little nervous, it was one thing to analyse and watch how the others did things than to do it for yourself.

I watched Michael's movements carefully, I knew I needed to make sure that he didn't corner me because then it would be game over. I was tempted to glance down at my feet but I knew I needed to keep an eye on Michael, he moved fast.

I noticed Michael looked away for a split second and I saw my opening and pushed around him, ducking past him. Michael turned around to look at me in surprise.

"Impressive Luke." Michael nodded. "I think you beat me on that one."

"Come on, it was obvious you were going easy on him, Mikey. No wonder he won" Calum said, "Both of you go again."

Michael shook his head in surprise. "But I wasn't going that easy...at least not by the end."

"Besides, it’s your turn again Cal." Michael decided. We continued for a little while, rotating between the three of us. Eventually, we started to move onto punching techniques. Michael went and grabbed a training pad out the car and we did the same thing again, each of us taking a turn with Michael. Calum seemed to be a lot better now he wasn't having to try and move around a bit as well. Ashton was doing better as well. Then it was my turn.

Michael nodded and I started to do as Michael had instructed, punching into the bag with all my strength.

"Ouch, okay. Luke, that's starting to hurt now." Michael spoke with a strained voice, his arm weakening causing the pad to drop slightly.

I stopped and stood back, confused. Ashton and Calum wore similarly confused expressions.

"You sure your parents didn't train you at all?" Calum blinked at me. "You're picking this up really quickly."

Michael dropped the pad and I could see the faint hint of a bruise on his arm starting to heal. He quickly shook his head, and I did the same. It couldn't have just been from me; Ashton and Calum had probably worn him down to start off with. However, Michael had been doing fine before it was my turn.

_'Luke where the heck did you learn to do that? The only other person I've ever seen pick this up anywhere near this fast was me.'_ Michael thought to me. _'It should've taken you at least a couple of days to learn how to do that.'_

I shook my head, answering to both, "I have no idea."

********

We spent the next few days like that, setting up camp then moving along to the next place, every day we were practicing the techniques Michael was teaching us. I was weirdly getting good at it, whilst I wasn't up there with Michael yet I was starting to match Calum. I guess I was the one that had it in my blood.

I looked out the window watching as we passed over the ever-stretching highway. Green farmland surrounded us. We were miles north of home by now, I wasn't even sure where we were. Calum was driving again today and the car played whatever music came from whoever’s phone or iPod we had plugged in for the hour. It was a risk to be on the highway so much but it had been a few days now surely the hunters would've lost track of us by now.

I was starting to build the illusion that the hunters would never find us again. It was stupid I know. Especially after last time. But I couldn't help but cling onto hope that they wouldn't.

"Can you hear that? " Ashton frowned his eyes darting around the car from the front seat.

I glanced at Michael beside me who frowned, "Hear what?"

"That thumping noise..." Ashton muttered.

I closed my eyes and listened. I soon could hear that there was a continuous thumping as the car moved along the road. Ashton was right. I frowned, was something up with the car? I opened my eyes again. Michael had his eyes out of the right-side window, a frown on his face.

"Ugh, it sounds to me like we've got a flat tire." Calum groaned, as he thumped his hands onto the steering wheel. He drummed his fingers as he seemed to think.

Calum pulled off over to the side of the road. Michael and I watched from the window as Calum and Ashton inspected the tires. They pointed to the back one on Michael's side. Calum shook his head.

"I can fix it now but we're going to need another spare tire pretty quickly, the one in the back is just a short distance one." Calum frowned to Ashton. "We're not going to make it far, even with that."

Ashton taps his foot on the ground, he looks down the highway, and back again. "Are we anywhere near a town?"

Michael already has his phone open, "Looks like there's a town at the next exit about 10 km away. It looks like there's a tyre place in a shopping centre."

It was lucky that one was so close for the tire, but going into any kind of town posed a risk. There would be security cameras, and there was a good chance that the hunters could at least have an idea of our rough location from that. Calum didn't seem to react at first, he bent down to have another look at the tire.

"Is it really that bad?" He asked Ashton. "We could wait until tonight to get it fixed wherever we end up stopping maybe, I'll need to get some petrol later."

"I think we're going to have to go in, Cal." Ashton frowns. "You can hear the air rushing out of it now we're standing out here."

I didn't know a lot about tires, and I knew we had enhanced hearing but I was certain that being able to hear the air rushing out of the tire wasn't a good thing.

"Well we're going to need the tire, aren't we?" I add. "We can't stay here all afternoon."

Calum nods, "Yeah. Surely, we've lost the hunters by now, I haven't seen them for days. It should be at least safe enough to make a trip to the car shop. I'll put the spare on and then we'll go there."

Calum and Ashton got to work with putting the spare on. Leaving Michael and I in the back seat. Michael had brought a deck of cards on our trip, and insisted on playing a game with them while we waited.

"I'm bored, are you guys done yet?" Michael whined over the car door.

"Be patient Mikey, even spare's take a little bit of time." Ashton sighed.

"It's okay, I'm done." Calum grinned, stepping away from the tire, "Let's get moving. We've stopped here long enough."

I notice the trees as they roll past us, I wondered whether there was even a town out here. I sighed, thinking of how long it had been since we'd been wolves. I kind of missed it. However, it was too dangerous to shift, the only exception would be the full moon, and that was still another week away. We still hadn't worked out how we were going to do that yet.

We come to a town, named 'Mirror Valley' as the sign declares. I notice numbers at the bottom of the sign it said it had a reasonable population but it was a lot less than our town.

Calum drives into what looks to be a main street. There's a sign declaring a major shopping centre down the road. The streets are empty, I can only see an elderly man hobbling along with a walking stick. There were cars everywhere, though. It seemed that every parking space in Mirror Valley was taken. As we drove closer to the car shop it seemed to get worse.

"Did everyone decide to go out shopping today?" Michael exclaims as Calum drives around trying to find a park.

"Yeah, but there's barely anyone around though, just all these cars." Calum muttered.

"Calum, over there. I see a park." Ashton pointed.

With a park found, the four of us worked on locating the tyre place. Calum said that he would need a hand with the tyre, so we all left with him.

There was a group of slightly worn waiting chairs, some older music played out from a retro looking radio that sat on a table just outside the counter. The walls were lined with pictures of various cars, and different logos. There was a bearded man at the desk who smiled warmly as we entered, "Hi, what can I do for you boys today?"

Calum passed the guy the piece of paper with the specifications of the tyre we needed. "Can we have one of these please?"

The guy nodded, "Sure, I think we have those. Would you like us to get it fitted for you? You might have to wait a few hours though, we've been quite busy today."

"Uh... We don't really have time..." Calum said. "We're travelling and need to be there soon."

"I see. Do you know how to change a tire then?" The man frowned as he tapped his pen on the desk.

Calum nods, "Sure do."

The man nodded and started entering the information onto the computer.

I tapped my feet in boredom as I waited for Calum and the guy to finish up. I looked out the glass door. I could see a girl standing across the road, watching us. I noticed, there was a scar on her face. She looked familiar somehow. Then I remembered, a chill instantly creeping up my spine.

She was the girl from the room.

Someone snapped their fingers in front of my eyes. I blinked, finding Ashton in my face looking concerned. "Luke, what's wrong?"

Michael's eyes had already followed mine. "Hunters. They've found us."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait everyone! Was super busy and hadn't quite finished this chapter yet. Hope you enjoy, lots will be happening over the next few chapters as we head towards the end of the story!


	29. Split

_'I think we should split up.'_ Calum frowned, his voice ringing clearly through my head.

_'No way!'_ Michael protests quickly.

_'Trust me, this will work.'_ Calum says, his eyes not moving from the man's as he thinks it. _'Get through the shopping complex, and meet on the other side back at the car. We can keep in touch through the bond.'_

Michael frowns again, but nods. Ashton and I do the same. Like Michael, I wasn't sure about splitting up either, but if this was Calum's plan we had to go with it. With at least one hunter outside, we didn't have time to argue. We were in a small town, with lots of people. If something went wrong someone innocent could get hurt. If we stuck together, we'd draw a lot more attention as well.

That's what the hunters want us to worry about, getting innocent people hurt, I supposed. I wondered if the flat tire had something to do with them as well. At this stage, it wouldn't surprise me.

"We'll be back for the tire? Is that okay?" Calum asked, his voice suddenly nervous.

"Yeah sure, mate." The guy nodded, not seeming to notice anything different. "I'll have it here ready for you."

"Thanks." Calum nodded to him, and the four of us walked out the side door. We split as we make it into the corridor of the shopping complex. Calum and I head to the left while Ashton and Michael head for the right. I give one final glance at Calum who nods as he disappears into a department store. Suddenly I'm alone.

I take a deep breath, trying anything to ignore the furious beating of my heart. I cast my eyes over the shops, most of them seem to sell jewelry and dresses. I spy a comic store at the end of the level. I wouldn't be surprised if Michael had spied it up here as well. I look around at the vacant seats and the lack of people walking the level. There doesn't seem to be anyone following me. That means the girl could've followed one of the others. However, that thought doesn't make me feel any better.

I walk into the comic store, deciding to make sure I was truly alone. The windows were glass so I could watch the traffic outside. The shops here seem so quiet, it would be easy to spot a hunter. If they found me.

As I wait, my eyes scan over the various adventures of superheroes and other miraculous beings. I flick through a few of them, recognizing them.

My mind wanders as I browse, nothing's happened yet but I can't help but worry that Calum had made the wrong call by splitting up. What if one of us gets caught? Sure, we're better equipped now in this kind of situation but would it be enough? Michael's training had been starting to have an impact on the three of us. I'd even noticed Michael having to work against Calum and Ashton now that we'd worked out everyone's strengths. 

I was excellent at anticipating moves and had strong technique. Calum was great at dodging and Ashton was awesome at punching and defending. But we were separated now and that concerned me.

I came across a comic Michael had been talking about but he'd said he was missing the last volume of. He'd brought a few of them with him on the trip and we'd been reading them some nights. I felt in my pocket, finding a crumpled up twenty dollar note. Maybe it wasn't the best idea, to stop for a comic book and use the only money I had. But I knew Michael would be super excited when he saw it.

_'I'm not safe quite yet.'_ Calum's voice came through, ' _I'm working out how-' The bond seemed to fizzle on the last few words._

' _Cal?'_ I think, my heartbeat racing, was he there. ' _Anyone_?'

No response. Bother, what an annoying time for the bond to fizzle out. I knew if I shifted into a wolf again there was a good chance it would come back but a wolf walking around the shops was not an option. I closed my eyes trying to sense him and the others but couldn't.

I frowned, with the bond down perhaps I should try getting back to the car now at least. I glanced at the comic in my hand, I should just buy it and go. I know Calum had said it wasn't safe yet but it was best that I started trying to get closer to the car at least.

At the counter was a woman with a bright pink pixie cut, she was probably a few years older. She smiled at me as I approached.

"Can I just have this thanks?" I ask, as I push the comic over towards her.

She nods, as she scans the barcode on it. "Of course. This is a good one, it's a shame it's the last one though."

"Yeah, my friend loves these. He recently got me onto them." I tell her.

"Well enjoy then, I reckon the last one's the best one yet." She smiles, as she puts the comic into a bag for me and hands me the change. "Have a nice day."

I nod at her. "You too."

I'm just putting the change into my pocket when the lights begin to flicker. The girl and I glance at one another. "That's strange." She mumbles.

There's a popping noise and the lights go out completely. I hear a small gasp, and as my eyes adjust I can see the girl feeling around the desk. I spin around, all the lights are still on in the corridor outside. My stomach sinks. It's just a coincidence it must be.

"I'll just find a torch. I know there's one here." She mumbles, "Stupid lights."

"Let me help you." I mutter quickly rushing around to her side of the register. I can faintly make out the torch. I hand it to her, and she holds it up. She gives me a surprised look, as she clicks it on.

"Thank you." She smiles kindly. "You must have pretty good eyesight to have found it in the dark."

"I guess you could say that," I smiled back, hoping that she wouldn't suspect anything odd.

"Sorry about all this. Dodgy wiring, I guess. They've been doing renovations on the floor below, so they keep going out" She sighed, as she tapped on the torch "It's okay, now I have my trusty torch, I'll help you get out the store."

I nodded back at her, no use telling her that I'd be able to get out of here on my own. I may as well make her feel helpful.

I followed the pink haired girl through the rows, towards the door. We'd just passed one of the shelves when I felt something pull the back of my shirt. The lights suddenly flicked on again and my heart nearly stopped as I turned to see the girl staring at me. A grin on her face.

She had blue eyes, but her most distinguishing feature was the red scar running down her face. I'd hoped that it wouldn't be her but somehow, I knew.

"Miss me?" She asked.

Forgetting about the pink haired girl, I kicked out at her, sending her back on the nearest shelf. She recovered quickly, already racing back towards me. I slipped around her, sliding along the flooring of the comic shop. I pulled myself up again, and I felt her pull me back.

This was going to be a lot harder than I thought.

"Oi you, scar face." A voice yelled. I looked up expecting to see Michael or one of the others. Instead I saw the pink haired girl holding what looked to be like one of the prop swords. Sure enough, when I looked beside her the display cabinet was open and the item was missing. "Get away from him."

She wasn't seriously going to try that against a hunter, was she? It was a replica, meant to look nice and that was about it. It wasn't the most stupid move though, I think if I'd been working in a store like this and a customer was being attacked I would've gone for it too.

Surprisingly, the hunter girl stood away from me. I was curious for a moment, you wouldn't think she'd be scared by a girl with a fake replica sword. Maybe she didn't even know what it was. 

"That's right, girly." She spoke, pointing the sword at the girl, "You step right away from him."

The hunter girl laughed, "Wow, Luke, getting humans to fight your battles now. Do you really think she'd still fight for you if she knew what you were."?

Something seemed to flicker in the pink haired girl's eyes for a moment. "Well he's a werewolf, isn't he?"

I blinked, how had the girl known. Even a look of surprise came over the hunter girls face.

"How do you?" I asked slowly, as I pulled myself up.

"Your eyes were glowing a moment ago." The girl shrugged, looking at me, "Probably not used to many people knowing what you are beside these guys right?"

I had so many questions for the pink haired girl now. Was she a werewolf too? How did she know any of this? I almost missed that the hunter girl was no longer standing behind him, but behind her instead.

"Behind you!" I yelled.

It was too late, powder flew into the girls' face. She blinked a few times, her sword crashing to the ground and her along with it.

"I'm surprised she took the werewolves side." She smiled back at me, as she stepped over the pink haired girl. "If I'd known, I probably would've done that sooner. Don't give me that look, she'll be fine, she was looking a little tired was all it must be boring working in a place like this."

I was angry, I barely knew the girl but she'd tried to help me. I raced forward and punched out at the hunter yet she managed to dodge every single one of my attacks.

A thought came to me what Michael had said to Calum when he'd protested that Michael was going too hard on them. That if they thought he was bad then the hunters would be at least as good as him or even better. He hadn't been kidding.

"I guess I underestimated you Hemmings. You've got skills." The girl grinned at me, the sweat visible on her face. I knew she'd tire before I did. At the end of the day, hunters were only human after all. Plus, she'd used some of her energy dealing with the pink haired girl as well.

A second later, she pushed me to the floor and held her dagger against my chest. "You know I thought you were pretty cute the first time I saw you. We could've been friends."

"Really? I don't recall making friends with little witches like yourself." I frowned up at her. "Besides you're not really my type."

"What was that wolf boy? You think you're better than me, don't you?"

"Well obviously, you've spent how long now chasing after my friends and I?" I smirked at her, "That's pretty sad. Do you even have friends?"

"At least I'm not a filthy dog like you." She spoke, "Besides, I wouldn't have wanted to be friends with a half-breed like you anyway. I'm surprised they even wanted you to be a hunter before you became a mutt."

"Excuse me?" I raised an eyebrow.

"You don't know?" She smiled, "I'm surprised that Alpha wanted you and Clifford anyway. Neither of you should have survived past the hospital."

"Are you trying to say we shouldn't have been born?" I asked.

"Precisely." She smiled, "Look at all the trouble you've caused Luke. To your parents, your friends. I'll be helping everyone by getting rid of you."

My whole body shook and for a moment I thought I was going to shift right there. But, I was only a small distance from the pink haired girl who was still lying asleep on the floor. I couldn't hurt her, not after what she did. I need to escape, I can't keep fighting with the hunter with her here. My vision tinges with red, as my whole body shook. My hand flew up in rage, striking across her stomach as I threw her backwards. She let out a gasp. I heard the click of a radio, as her eyes fluttered closed.

"I hope you know that was for the room as well." I yelled at her in a harsh voice.

I blinked as my vision returned to normal. I looked around me, the hunter girl lying bleeding on the floor. There were comic books everywhere. The pink haired girl lay a little way back from her, holding the sword now, as if it was a teddy bear. At least she was okay. Guilt hit me in the stomach. I couldn't believe I'd done that. I guess this was what Calum had meant when he'd talked about losing control over yourself. Well, at least Michael's training was coming in handy. I wouldn't have stood a chance against her a few weeks ago.

I paused for a moment, leaning beside the hunter girl, her heart was still beating so she was still alive at least.

"Mikayla are you there?" A voice spoke out of her ear-piece. "How's it going? Do you copy?"

I froze I knew I needed to get out of here. I stepped away. My eyes fell on the sleeping pink haired girl.

"Thank you." I mumbled, as I picked up the comic book that I'd bought from beside her. I hoped that she would wake up soon, I'd stay to make sure but more hunters could be on their way.

I walked out of the room, trying to pretend as if nothing had happened. I put my hand over my arm where the small wound was already a pink fleshy colour, it would heal soon.

I had to get out of here, I think I'd done enough damage in the comic store, I didn't want to see what would happen if I stayed in here much longer. My eyes landed on a fire escape opposite me. Surely that would get me out of the building at least. There was the possibility of finding hunters in there, but it was the risk I was ready to take.

I raced straight over to the door, opening it. No alarms seemed to go off so I continued. There were steps that seemed to go on forever and it was a dark. I searched for a light switch but couldn't seem to see it. I had a bad feeling about this. Fire escapes were usually supposed to have lights on in them. My thoughts, immediately went back to the comic store.

I shook my head, I was in here now. This seemed like the best way to get out of here, and if I did run into any of the hunters at least it wouldn't get shopkeepers or other members of the public involved. I made a quick check, I couldn't catch the scent of any hunters so perhaps there weren't any in here.

I took a few steps, and froze as I saw a light from a lower level, then there was a large slam as the light dissipated. I took a deep breath, I hope it isn't a hunter. Perhaps they were leaving, I try to convince myself.

I take a few more careful steps down the fire escape hoping to make as little noise as possible. The world shook for a moment, as my body crushed into someone else's, and I heard a small gasp, I stepped away from them quickly. Was it a hunter?

I froze for a moment, not daring to look the person in the eyes. The other person remained silent. I could only hear their breathing. Neither of us moved. Slowly I turned, my eyes meeting the side of someone's head. They had light hair, slowly they turned their head meeting my eyes. They seemed to be trying to be careful too.

Recognition came to me, even in the dark it kind of looked like Ashton. It was worth a shot.

"Ashton?" I said quietly.

He jumped, "Oh my god, Luke?"

"Yeah." I say.

"I'm so glad to see you." He whispered back. "I was doing fine, then the bond died and the hunter's started chasing me, I thought I'd lost them and then I saw the fire escape and-geez I'm rambling. Sorry."

"I'm glad you're here too." I nod. Deciding not to elaborate just yet on what had happened in the comic store. I was glad to see Ashton of course, there was no way that we were splitting back up again until we found Michael and Calum.

"Do you know how we can get out of here?" Ashton asked. "I headed up thinking it might get me to the roof, but obviously not."

"I thought it might lead down to the basement, and lead outside." I suggested.

"Why didn't I think of that?" Ashton sighed, "The stairs go down as well. Let's try going that way."

I nodded quickly, it had been what I was doing after all.

I followed Ashton down the stairs, both of us moving hesitantly at each step. I sniffed the air, but I couldn't smell the scent of any hunters. It appears we might be all clear still. We found the door, once we reached the final floor. Ashton opened it, and we came out onto an alleyway between another wall of shops.

"If we follow it around we should be able to get back to the car." Ashton spoke, his eyes following mine. "We might have to watch for hunters though."

I nodded, "Let's try it."

Ashton wasn't looking at my face anymore, he grabbed my hands, holding them up into the light "Luke what happened to them?"

I followed his gaze, thinking he must've been talking about the comic book. But my eyes caught on the red stains on my finger tips and the top of the plastic bag. I'd almost forgotten.

"I may have had to deal with a hunter, whilst I was in the comic store." I blushed. "They're still alive I think, I only hurt them a little."

Ashton's eyes widened but he nodded. I think he understood that I hadn't had a lot of choice.

"On another note, we're being chased and you went to buy a comic?" Ashton laughed, "Now that's something I thought only Michael would do."

I laughed too. "Michael's rubbing off on me I guess. But it was that one he was complaining about not having the other night, remember, and I think it might even be the rare one with the special cover. I couldn't leave it there."

"Good thinking, he'll like that." Ashton smiled. "Probably could've picked a less dangerous time to get it, but never mind."

I thought of the pink haired girl back in the store, I hope that she's okay. I wished I could go back and check or could've stayed longer. I'd had no choice though, she was human hopefully so the hunter's wouldn't have any business with her.

"I wonder where those two are anyway, I thought we might have bumped into them by now." Ashton frowned.

"I'll check." I tell him, although I knew he could try the same thing.

_'Michael, Cal?'_ I think out.

There's silence, I glance at Ashton. This was useless.

"Bond must be down still." Ashton frowns, leaning against the brick wall. "It went right after we split up. Maybe we should wait before we move again. It seems pretty safe here."

_'Luke?'_ I hear Calum reply quickly. _'You okay?'_

Ashton and I glance at each other in surprise, neither of us expecting an answer.

_'Yeah, Ashton and I are together.'_ I tell him.

_'Okay good. Do you know where Michael is?'_

_'Nope, I haven't seen him since we split.'_

_'Damn, he's not replying to me. Well both of you get back to the car, it's safe now and then we'll work on finding Michael. He could already be there waiting for us.'_ Calum thinks back. _'I'm not far from the car now, so I'll meet you both there.'_

_'Okay.'_ Ashton and I replied.

"I wonder where Michael is?" Ashton frowned, "I know he ignores Cal sometimes, but I wouldn't have thought he'd do it now. It's Michael, I guess so he's probably fine."

I nodded, but part of me wasn't so sure.


	30. Goner

The first thing I noticed when I could see the car was that Michael wasn't there.  What if something had happened to him? I would've thought that he'd be the first one back.

Calum had made it back already though, I could see him sitting in the driver’s seat. He had his phone out and seemed to be searching through it. I went to take a step out onto the street, when Ashton pulled me back. I glanced up at him in confusion.

"Just needed to check it was safe." He mumbled, taking his hand off my shoulder. "Sorry."

I nodded. Ashton was right, it wouldn't surprise me if the hunters had someone waiting here for us. I made a quick scan of the area, but couldn't seem to see anyone suspicious. I could see an elderly lady crossing the road, but she seemed to be the only sign of life. She looked harmless. 

I followed Ashton across the road and back to the car. His eyes searched the car, as he walked around to the back side. He frowned back at me, I realised that he'd been looking for Michael. He wasn't hiding or anything. Part of me hoped that Michael would jump out at any moment and laugh at us. It didn't happen though. My stomach sunk.

"Hey, would you two get in already?" Calum snapped, through the open car window. "You can't stand out there all day. We have to get moving."

"But Michael?" Ashton asked, as he looked up at him.

Calum shook his head, "Just get in."

Ashton and I frowned at one another, Calum was in a bad mood it seemed. Ashton just sighed and opened the car door before jumping in. I followed behind him.  Taking the other spot in the back seat. I threw the comic book into the back, hoping that Calum wouldn't see the blood stains. He didn't need to know about that just yet. I knew I was going to have to explain it eventually. I hoped I'd done the right thing. I wasn't sure the hunters would be too happy with me either, taking on a hunter wasn't really the best way to prove you were harmless. My father's words came to me, when I claimed that I hadn't hurt anyone yet. 'How do you know that he hasn't? That you won't?" It seemed like it had been a long time since she'd said those words but he'd been right I had hurt someone. I slumped into the seat in frustration, trying to remind myself that it just been an act of self-defence.

"So, what's the plan now?" I asked, as I clicked my seat-belt on.

Calum didn't respond, he had his eyes closed as he tapped his hands on the steering wheel. I looked over at Ashton, who shrugged. What was Calum doing?

"Got it." He finally mumbled. 

A few seconds later, the ignition started and the car sprung to life. I frown, we weren't leaving him, here were we? Besides, I knew we couldn't get much further on the spare tire Calum had put on earlier and the next town might not be for ages. 

"Cal, where are we going?" Ashton asked with a nervous voice. 

Calum let out a large sigh, his eyes not moving from the road, "We're finding Michael." 

So that's what we were doing. I was glad that we weren't just going to leave him here. I looked out of the window, my eyes searching for any sign of Michael or even a group of hunters. Ashton was looking out the other window. We'd driven around a few streets but there didn't seem to be any sign of him. I closed my eyes trying to sense him, but he seemed to be moving quickly and the fact that the car was moving as well wasn't helping either. I guess this had been what Calum had done before we'd left.    

"Wait! Cal, he's over there!" I heard Ashton say. Sure, enough when I followed his gaze, there was Michael surrounded by about five hunters in the centre of a long almost empty parking lot. I looked behind him, we weren't far from the shopping complex either. He hadn't made it as far as I thought. 

The group swarmed in on him and I saw Michael leap into the air, using their crouched positions to an advantage as he jumped right over them, using their backs as steps as he landed. He grinned back at them, as they looked at each other in confusion. He had barely looked up when another group stopped him, blocking his path. He let out of frustrated groan, I didn't think he'd seen us yet.

"Luke, Ashton stay in the car." Calum says to us, as he kills the ignition and tosses the car keys over to Ashton. "If anything happens, both of you get straight out of here. Don't worry about Mikey or me."

"Why?" I yell. Why was he talking like that? We weren't just going to leave them here.

"We're coming with you, Cal." Ashton agrees with a nod, already un-clipping his seat-belt. He offers the car keys back to Calum. 

_"Just do as I say."_ Calum snaps back, pushing the car keys straight back at Ashton. 

I felt a strong force rush through me. It pushes me backwards into the car seat. I frowned, as I tried to reach for the door handle to get out. I could move my arms, but any time they made it near the car doors they would clam up. Did Calum do this? I looked over at Ashton, he looked to be having the same problem, his hand hovering over the door handle.

"Darn it, Cal." He groaned, kicking on the front seat of the car, "We can help."

"No, you can't." Calum snapped as the door slammed behind him.

I scowled, it seemed I could move if it wasn't towards the exits. I wiggled over and joined Ashton at the window. I could see Michael was fighting off the group that were blocking him now, a look of fierce determination in his eyes.

Calum approached carefully, his eyes flickering towards the first group of hunters that Michael had just escaped from that were circling him like crows. Calum slipped in front of them, shifting into a wolf as he did so. He let out a howl at them and stood tall reaching full height. A few of the hunters backed away carefully, clearly not having expected the wolf to appear. They looked to be frightened of him even. For hunters, it looked as though they'd never seen a wolf before. 

Michael hearing the howl, turned his head to the noise and shook his head.

Calum didn't seem to notice Michael's disdain though and raced towards them, herding them away from the parking lot like they were sheep. They were more cowardly than I thought, I wouldn't have imagined that five hunters would be so afraid of him. Their job was to attack us after all. I guess they might've realised he was the Alpha and even knew about the lethal bites he could give.

With the hunters gone, he shifted back again. Racing towards Michael where he was dealing with the other group of about six hunters.

"I had it." I noticed Michael say, as Calum joined him quickly picking up the fight. "You could have stayed in the car."

"No, you didn't." Calum frowned as he punched at the hunter that came towards him. "There's eleven of them and only one of you. Your good Mikey, but that's even too many for you."

I sighed. If there was four of us and six of them we'd have had this over in no time. I hated being sidelined, I could've helped. I was sure that by now I was much better at this than Calum was. He was going to get hurt, and there was nothing I could do about it all because of his orders. 

"Calum!" I yelled again, as I bashed on the window. Knowing well that he should still be able to hear us. He could just think to us that we could help, and change what he'd said couldn't he? Then Ashton and I could help exactly like we wanted to.

I could've sworn I saw him shake his head, as he kicked one of the hunter's away from him onto the tared ground.  

Ashton sighed, looking back at me and leaning up on the window, "It's useless. No matter what we do, he's made his mind up."

"He's going to get hurt. They’re both going to get hurt." I say, correcting myself, "They need me. They need us."

"I know Luke." Ashton frowned. "That's what worries me."

They'd split the hunters into two now. Calum was fighting off a group of about three of them. I could see the hunters that Calum had frightened reassembling themselves on the other side of the parking lot. Then I saw it, one of the hunters from behind one of the cars was raising his arrow towards him. I was reminded of the story that Michael had told me about how he'd become a werewolf. 

"Calum!" Michael yelled quickly, noticing what I did.

 Calum gasped and ducked his head. The arrow sailed over his head barely a second later, piercing through the tire of the dark grey four-wheel drive behind him. He blinked back at it in amazement. The hunters swarmed on him, seeing their opportunity. Calum stood up in a single fluid movement ready to challenge them.  

That had been a close one. Luckily Michael had been watching. This was dreadful. I slumped back in my seat, I had to do something but what?

Screw listening to Calum, I forced my body forwards ignoring the pins and needles that went through them as my hand as wrapped around the handle. I heard it click and the door opened slightly. I blinked. Was it possible I could override what Calum had told me? Could I do something about all this. I smiled remembering Michael's sword, the one he'd had when we'd escaped was sitting in the boot. I leaned over and grabbed it. I could see Ashton watching me curiously.

"You’re going out there aren't you?" He asked, quietly.

I nodded, “Are you coming?"

Ashton tried to move his hand onto the handle, but he shook his head, "I would, but I can't, Cal's orders are still keeping me here."

He'd given them to me too? Before I'd had the same problem, but now.

"I don't know how you're doing it. Calum's orders were to stay in the car and he forced them on us." He shook his head at me. "Neither of us should be able to leave not until something goes wrong and even then, all I'm supposed to do is get us out of here."

"Me either. That's so strange." I frowned, wondering what exactly I'd done.  As if to prove his point, Ashton tried to grab the door handle again but couldn't make it any further than he had previously. He let out a sigh. 

"If you can go and help them, you should." Ashton nodded. "One more person out there is better than nothing. Besides you're a much better fighter than me anyway."

I took a deep breath, if Ashton thought I could and should do this I had to. As I pushed open the car door and my feet landed on the footpath I couldn't help but feel as though I was totally betraying Calum. With Ashton's words on my mind, I stepped out the car. He may be Alpha but sometimes you had to take things into your own hands. 

"Good luck." I heard Ashton say as I shut the car door behind me. "Be careful okay?"

I nodded turning back, the two of us giving each other reassuring smiles. "I will."

As I walked out from behind the car, my eyes scanned over the group of hunters headed for Calum and Michael. There were so many of them, I wasn't sure if even with four of us we could handle this. Perhaps Calum had been right, I should've stayed in the car. 

I shook my head. I couldn't think like that. I needed to help them. Even if it just meant getting the sword to Michael. I held the sword up, it was heavy. It's weight becoming apparent to me now that I was out of the car. I made a practice swing, it's weight pulling it down in my arms. Michael had gotten us to practice with sticks, but this was different. I wasn't quite used to using it, but after watching movies over the years I was pretty sure I could handle it until it made its way to Michael. It would be much more useful in his hands than mine.

As I expected a hunter emerged from behind one of the parked cars. He held a small bladed weapon in hand. I saw him pull his arm back throwing it towards me, I held the sword up in front of my face using it like a shield. I heard a clatter as it fell to the ground. He threw about three more, clearly having them stocked up. However, with a great sense of nervousness I managed to block each of them. He must've ran out of them because he disappeared behind the car. I walked around the hood and noticed he was gone.     


The group Michael was fighting was closer to me now, I gave a quick scan around me. Michael managed to see me this time, a grin spreading on his face. I slipped underneath the group, they were so focused on Michael that they hadn't seen me. I held it out to him. "Michael here, take this." 

"Even better, thanks Luke."  Michael grinned, "That's exactly what I needed." 

He held it up at the hunter's threateningly. They all stepped back, even the ones that had been fighting Calum had stopped to look. Calum took the opportunity, punching the nearest one. "You've all heard about this haven't you?"

"We should go." One of them said, a moment later he took off racing away at high speed. The others slowly followed suit mentioning about retreating, until it was just the three of us standing in the car park.

"Wow, this has a better reputation than I thought." Michael smiled as he pulled the sword up onto his shoulder. "Luke, that was a brilliant idea."

I was feeling smug that I'd helped Michael out, after Calum had said we wouldn't be useful. I knew it would help Michael get the upper hand, but I hadn't realised that the hunters were so scared of him when he was holding it. I don't think he had either.

"Luke! What the heck are you doing out here? I thought I told you both to stay in the car, it usually means you’re not supposed to move." Calum frowned, marching over to Michael and me.   My stomach sunk. I should've known this was coming. But Calum had been in the wrong too, you can't just make someone stay in the car like that. I wasn't ready to argue with him about it.

I shrugged, "Doesn't matter, I'm here now and I might have just saved your lives. I think you needed me Cal."

Michael nods. Calum bites his lip and gives a small glare at Michael but didn't say anymore. 

"So, you two have obviously met up again, but where's Ashton?" Michael asked, searching behind me with a worried expression. "He's okay, isn't he?"

"In the car." I reply, with a glare at Calum. 

"Where Luke was supposed to stay too." Calum glared back at me, he gives a hopeless look to Michael. "And I mean I really told him."

Something flickers in Michael's eyes for a moment a he looks at Calum in surprise, and sighs, "You helped us out this time Luke. But you probably should've listened to him even if you managed to get around the whole Alpha orders thing." 

"Yeah, I'm curious how you did it, Luke." Calum frowns. "You’re not supposed to be able to do something other than what your Alpha tells you if they give you direct orders." 

"I don't know how. I just knew I had to help you guys." I protest. I'd been stuck at first, but I'd wanted so badly to help that it just seemed to have stopped and I'd been able to open the car door.

Michael frowns, "I know you helped us but you were an idiot Luke."

"And you both weren't?!" I yell at them.

Calum and Michael looked surprised. Calum frowned he was about to get back into me again at any moment.

"Uh, guys? Aren't you forgetting someone?" A voice says with a small cough. It causes the three of us to turn, back to where Ashton is waiting in the car, his head stuck out the window.  He was still stuck in the car.

Calum gives him a guilty look, "Sorry you can come back out now."

"Thank you." Ashton mumbles as he magically opens the door again. His eyes shoot daggers at Calum. "Now while you three have been busy arguing, the hunters have re-assembled again."

I followed Ashton's gaze to see the group of hunters at the other end of the carpark. Some were re-loading arrows, other seemed to be collecting and sharpening their swords. I felt light headed for a moment, this wasn't over. Michael's sword might have delayed them but it hadn't stopped them.

"You're right, looks like there's more hunters." Calum frowned at the growing circle. We wouldn't be able to drive out of this one. Someone could shoot the tires and then we'd be stuck. We were already down to a dummy tire anyway we didn't stand a chance.

"We're sticking together this time." Ashton says, with a glare at Calum. "No making people split up or stay in the car."

Calum nodded. "Fine, whatever. you want."

"Stay close, alright. We don't want them to separate us." Michael frowns.  
  
"Should we shift?" Ashton asks. "We have enough room."

Michael shook his head, “Safer this way, but don't be afraid to get your claws out."

I saw Ashton glance at me for a moment. So far, he was the only one who had any idea what I'd done. He nodded at Michael sombrely. All of us were a little scared of what we were going to need to do to get out of here. If we'd even make it out of here.

Their preparing seemed to stop, and I could see the hunters beginning to walk back towards us. 

Suddenly, there was a loud howl and the hunters stopped. I noticed standing at the end of the road was a girl with brown hair, her eyes glowing a bright yellow before fading to brown. 

"We have a truce remember. You’re not supposed to be hunting here." She says, glaring at the group of hunters. "No matter what."

I notice a few of the hunters, lower their weapons but quite a few don't. Some of them start to complain, but they back off when a few of them tell them off. They were clearly scared of this girl, just as much maybe more than they had been of Michael's sword.

They dispersed quickly and soon it was just her and us in the parking lot. She marched over to us, with an angry expression. I looked at the others waiting for one of them to move but none of them did, all their eyes were on the girl.

"Explain to me right now what four wolves are doing in my territory." The girl glared at us. "Are you a pack, where's your Alpha?"

"That would be me." Calum stepped forward and took a deep breath. The girl scowled at him, he held up his hands as if that would calm her, "I'm really sorry for letting us intrude on your territory. I had no idea. We didn't have a lot of choice there was a problem with our tire." The girl nods at him to continue. He then explains to her everything that had happened with me and my parents and about the hunters being after us. "That's about it."

"I see." She says when his finished, a small smile appears on her face, "Well if you'd like. I should have enough room back at my place, for all four of you if you want to stay off the run for a little while. As you can see the hunters aren't allowed to hunt here. They seem to have forgotten that though." She frowned looking back at the cowering group of hunters that were standing in a group, she narrowed her eyebrows and the remaining hunters quickly backed away.

We all glance at one another, no one’s sure how to answer her. Should we trust this random werewolf to help us. She had already helped us with the hunters. Now she knew why we were here, she seemed to be kinder. I mean she was offering us somewhere to stay for an unknown amount of time after all. 

"I'm really sorry for yelling at you." She added, "I should've known. It's just that there's been a few wolves around here lately that's sole purpose in coming here was to cause trouble. Particularly that little frizzy haired lone wolf that came here a few weeks back."

 That description sent a shiver up my spine. It had to have been the wolf that had attacked me in the first place. Michael gave me a worried glance. 

"Was her name Zoe, by any chance?" Calum frowned. 

Emily frowned, "Yeah, I think so. She's long gone by now."

"I think she might be the main reason the hunters are after us." Calum frowned. "You know that werewolf that I mentioned that hurt Luke. That was her."

She nodded, “I see. Well she's gone now; you guys are totally welcome to come. I joke sometimes that I'm Emily's home for wayward werewolves. So, it's no trouble."

_'I say we go, if it's bad we only stay one night.'_  Michael says.

Calum, Ashton and I nod. Michael was right, if it meant being safe for a night we shouldn't really argue. It had to be more comfortable than the tent at least.

Calum pointed back to the tire, "Let us just get this fixed and we'll go with you."

Emily looks at our tire and pulls a face before she nods. "Of course. Do you need a hand with it?"

"I should be alright, I already put an order in with the tyre shop. He'll actually have time to do it for us now, I hope." Calum says. 

"Good." Emily nodded, "I'm really glad Holly told me there were hunters here, and at least one werewolf. I'd hate to know that a whole pack was hurt on my territory. If you don't mind I'm just going to go see her, I think she got caught up with one of you guys in the comic store she works in."  

"That would've been me. I think." I blushed quickly, it felt like everyone's eyes were on me. "She has pink hair?"

Emily nodded, “Now, yes."

Whilst Calum took the car back to the man at the tire shop. I decided to go with Emily to make sure Holly was okay. Michael and Ashton came with me. Which wasn't much of a surprise, all of us were still mad at Calum so it was better leave him alone now we didn't have to worry about the hunters. On the way, I told the three of them what had happened while I'd been separated.

"I would've loved to have seen that." Michael grinned when I was finished.

Ashton glared at him, "It wasn't a good thing Michael."

"I know but seeing that little hunter girl get what she deserved. You didn't see what she did to Luke." Michael retorted.

Emily had shaken her head as if she was wondering what she'd gotten into letting us stay in her territory. "Sometimes you just have to play the big bad wolf when it comes to hunters." She shrugged.

Those words made me wonder what exactly she had done to make the hunters so afraid of her.

When we finally met with Holly, she was fine. Apparently, her and Emily were close friends and she'd called her as soon as she'd woken up. I'd thanked her for helping me. Unfortunately, the hunter girl had already gone when she'd woken up, therefore Holly wasn't sure what had happened to her. I was just glad Holly at least was okay.

The car was eventually ready, so we met back up with Calum there. Emily had come into town as a wolf so she rode in the passenger seat whilst the rest of us rode in the back. The car ride was in silence. No one had even bothered to put the iPod back on. Everyone's emotions were loud and clear. Calum was mad at Michael and me for fighting the hunters. Ashton and I were mad at Calum for forcing us to stay in the car. Michael was angry at Calum for not leaving without him. It seemed everyone was mad at someone. Emily seemed to notice this and didn't speak except for when she directed Calum where to go.

I sighed, at least for the moment even if we were all upset with Calum, and he was with us, we were safe for one night.   
  



	31. Emily's Pack

We followed a windy stretch of tree lined road until we pulled up to a large two-story house that was surrounded by forest. It had a long porch across the front where a seat was strung from the ceiling. The house itself was modern, it had a slanted metal roof, and a large glass sliding door but smaller windows on either side. Bright flowering plants grew along the porch. I let out a sigh of relief, I wasn't sure what I had been expecting but it looked a lot better than I had anticipated on our trip out here. 

"We're here." Emily smiled, "It's not much, but I hope it's okay."

"This is great, thanks Emily." Calum nods as he parks. He looks a little astounded, I don't think he'd been expecting it either. Neither had I to be honest.

The four of us hop out the car and follow Emily inside, putting our gear in the living room as we entered as Emily hadn't quite worked out where we'd be sleeping yet.

"Em! You're back!" An excited voice yelled when we were barely in the doorway. There were hurried footsteps and small hands wrapped around Emily. Big green eyes appeared from behind her a few seconds later. She looked around at us with a worried expression. "Who are they?"

"They're friends." Emily smiled at her, before turning to us.

"Guys, this is Pip. My beta." She says gesturing to the small red-haired girl who had come out from behind her. She was young, maybe about twelve at most. She wore a navy bomber jacket and purple tights with a pink t-shirt covered in sparkly stars.  

"Hello." She smiled, politely. Still she clung to Emily as if she were a shield. Noticing the girls’ reaction, Emily quickly introduced us to her, and explained in the simplest terms why we were here. She nodded and stepped out from behind Emily, with a small grin on her face as she surveyed the four of us. 

"So, they're going to be here for a while, right?" Pip asked looking up at Emily after her inspection was done.

"Yes, they probably will be, so be nice to them okay?" Emily smiles at her.

Pip nodded quickly. "I will." She looked at us, before quietly squeaking, "If it's okay now. I'm going back to my game."

With that she disappeared from the corridor before anyone could say anything. Michael stifled a laugh. I knew that was exactly the kind of thing he would do.

"Guys I ask that you be extra nice to her while you're here." Emily spoke with a concerned expression, "She hasn't had the easiest of childhoods. She was turned quite young and lived in an environment not suited to a little girl. So, she's very wary of new people."

"So, she's not a natural born?" Calum asked. 

Emily shook her head, a sad look crosses her face, "Not a natural born, she's not even thirteen yet. Some boys in her housing flat were werewolves and decided to turn her for fun when she was about eight. It wasn't easy on her parents either, somehow a few years back not long after it happened they managed to get in touch with me. When we met I felt a strong connection to her, and her to me, so we've been a pack ever since. Recently though, her mother has fallen ill and has had to move into the city for her treatments. So, her parents decided that it would be best for her to come and live with me. She was quiet as a mouse when she first came here. She's getting there slowly."

The four of us were silent. I wondered what it was like to be so young and have experienced as I just had. Even Calum who had been the youngest and first to shift looked stunned. Then her mother was unwell now too, to be so young and experience such awful circumstances.

Emily blushed, “Probably not the best story to start you off here, but I thought you should know. She can be a little sensitive at times, so be gentle."

Everyone nodded quickly, before Emily herded us into the kitchen after that insisting that we have some food. Emily's kitchen was massive, it had tall wooden pantries and a large refrigerator that looked as though it had enough space to hold food for a few dozen people. The front of it was littered with scrawny drawings and paintings, many with Pips name on them. A few photos were held on my colourful magnets, the first was a small looking Pip with a woman with the same fiery hair as her and a man with jet black hair. The photo made my heart sink a little knowing that everything wasn't right in the lives of the smiling people. The next photo was better, Pip and Emily eating ice creams together with silly expressions on their faces. The final one was Pip with Emily once again with a guy with dark brown swept up hair. Pip had made bunny ears behind him. The guy making a fake pout.

Before we started following the others. I noticed Calum was looking at the pictures as well, a sombre expression on his face. He noticed me looking and gave a weak smile. 

Emily made us sit at the long wooden table that sat at the other side of the kitchen, quickly producing bottles of various fizzy drinks and chips. She muttered something about making dinner and quickly set to work in the kitchen. I looked at the clock on the wall, it was approaching six o clock now. I guess by the time that the man had fixed our tyres and we'd driven out here it had gotten quite late.

"Em, who's car is parked-oh--" A guy came into the kitchen and froze when he saw us and I did too. He had dark brown hair swept up. He wore dark jeans and a leather jacket. There was something familiar about his face and the way he smiled as his eyes fell on me. 

"Guys, this is Finn" Emily said as she gestured to the boy who had just entered, the name was familiar too, but I had met a lot of people over the years so who knew if I was just associating him with someone else, "This is C-"

"Luke?" He asked, interrupting her. "Is that you?"

That was all I needed. I could see it now. I knew why I hadn't recognised him straight away. Finn had been a scrawny little kid last, I remembered of him. Now he'd filled out and bulked up, towering Emily in height. At the school, we'd been at together he had been one of my best friends. If only I could remember which one. I'd had a lot of friends over the years.

Four very confused looks met us. 

"We went to school together." I told the others, I glanced at Finn, "Geez what year was it? Year seven I think."

"Yeah, I think so." He nods, he smiles fondly. "You've grown a lot since then Lukey."

"So, have you." I agree with a nod, thinking of the kid that I remembered. Those few years had made a big difference.  

"So, does this mean that you’re a werewolf too then?" He questioned with raised eyebrows at me. Before they moved to the four of us. 

I nodded. Wow, I hadn't thought of that. The way he'd said too seemed to suggest he was one as well. I wonder if he's a natural born like Calum or had been turned like me. If he's a natural born, then maybe this wasn't the first time that I'd been friends with werewolves.

"Wow, so your one too then." I speak, not quite believing it, "How long for?"

"It wasn't long after you left." He spoke. "I'm a natural born. So not long after I turned thirteen."

So, he was like Calum. Huh, strange. My parents had gone off at me for being friends with werewolves but this wasn't the first time I had been. It was almost like I attracted them. Wouldn't my parents love to know about that. They really would've wished they'd tried to get me involved with being a hunter sooner.

"Well what about you then?" He asked.

"About three months." I say. 

Emily taps her fingers impatiently on the table and clears her throat, "It's nice that this is a reunion and all but as I was saying this is Calum's pack, that's Michael and Ashton. I guess you already know Luke then." Pointing us all out to him, "They're going to be staying here for a little while. The hunters found out about them back in Rosetta Park."

Finn frowns, "Ah that's a shame. But it is great to see you again, Luke." Finn smiles.

"For sure." I grin back. I was looking forward to catching up with him. Of all the friends, I'd made since I'd made it to High School before this year Finn had been one of my closest.

After that, we end up talking for a while. We find out that Finn's an Alpha. Though he doesn't seem to mention where his pack is, which I find odd. Emily ropes Finn into helping her with dinner and Pip shyly slips into the room. Ashton attempts to make conversation with her, by asking her about her game; it's very challenging and her favourite colour; aqua. I get pulled into it as well when Ashton starts turning the questions onto me. Before long the food is ready and it seems that Emily and Finn have a put together a feast. I don't think I've ever seen so much food in all my life. There's spaghetti bolognaise, potato, chips, salad and chicken. The food is brilliant. As we eat, I notice Finn seems to be watching Calum very closely. I'm not sure why, there's not much reason to but he does. After we're all done the conversation starts again and Pip disappears to her room. I notice Finn watching Calum again and for some reason an uneasy feeling begins to build in my stomach. The others don't seem to notice, so I guess I'm overreacting. 

Eventually, Ashton lets out a yawn, he glances at the clock. "I'm getting a little tired."

I look outside noticing that it's completely pitch-black outside. It had to be about ten or eleven at night now. Time had certainly flown. Michael lets out a yawn, "Me too."

"Of course, I've got to finish setting up your room." Emily gasps, "If you boys want to start getting your stuff together. I'll have it sorted out in no time."

The guys and I exchange glances and Emily hurries out the room looking a little flustered. Michael leads the way, Ashton, Calum and myself following him.

"Can I speak to you?" A voice asks, I notice Calum who was behind me get pulled back. I paused turning to find Finn's hand on Calum's shoulder, pulling him back. Calum who was about the same height as Finn looked a little taken aback but nodded. 

The rest of us glance at them, waiting to hear what Finn has to say. Finn looks behind at us looking frustrated, "Without your betas."

That was strange.

_'No way.'_  Michael thought to us. I wonder if he'd noticed what I had. _‘If he can say it to you he can say it to all of us.'_

Calum waved us away, looking at Michael as if he was stupid.  _'Do as he says, I'll be fine.'_

I glance up at Finn. Thinking of the way he'd been looking at Calum all night. He talked and acted exactly like the boy I remember, a little rough but kind and friendly. Yet there was something different now, that made me question how much he was like the boy I'd been friends with three years ago. Without warning, Ashton pulls on my arm and tugs both Michael and I out the door. Seems like we didn't have a lot of choice, as the door closes behind us. 

_'This sucks I want to know what he wants with Calum.'_ Michael pouted.  _'Ash, why'd you pull us out of there?'_

I nodded, I was curious as well.

_'Come on guys, I'm surprised you too hadn't worked it out already. Just cause we're not in the room doesn't mean we can't listen in.'_  Ashton grins. 

_'Of course!'_ Michael nods, _'Why didn't I think of that? Ash you're a genius you know, that right?'_

Ashton shook his head, and cupped his ear against the door. Michael and I joined him, as I held my ear up to the wooden door. I couldn't hear much, only a slight thrum of noise. I guess the room must be wolf hearing proof or something.

_'I've got nothing.'_ I sigh.

Michael on the other hand kept moving as if trying to get a better spot.

_'Michael, I can't hear if you do that.'_ Ashton says, with a scowl at the purple haired boy. Michael let out a groan but stopped moving.

There was a soft giggling noise. I turned to fin the small girl of Emily's pack, Pip was standing behind us. 

"Naughty boys." She spoke, "Em says it's rude to listen to other people's conversations."

Michael frowned at her, crossing his arms at the little girl, "Don't you have somewhere better to be?"

The little girl shook her head. Ashton gave Michael a warning look we were supposed to be nice to her.

"Well, be quiet alright, we're trying to listen." Michael glared at her. A moment later he already had his ear back on the door.

The girl frowned, as she looked over the three of us. She smiled. "You know if your nice to me, I'll take you somewhere better."

"Where?" Michael asked quickly turning back to her. 

"Follow me." She smiled.

The three of us exchanged glances. She seemed like she was trying to help. What was the harm in following her?

We followed behind her until she came to what looked like a cupboard. She opened the door revealing a ladder that seemed to lead up into an attic. She gave a smug look back at us, before beginning to climb.

I climbed up after Michael, Ashton behind me. When I reached the next level, I found we were in a room full of old boxes. Emily's possessions I assumed. Pip marched over to the other side of the room and lifted a floorboard. Through it, we had an almost perfect view of the room. Calum wore an unimpressed look on his face, and seemed to be muttering something under his breath angrily. He just turned to walk out the room without saying another word to Finn.

"Aw, well their finished too bad." She shrugged, already closing the floorboard back up again as Calum left. 

"Damn." Michael frowned in an angry whisper, "I wanted to know what that jerk was saying to him."

"He didn't used to be a jerk." I say quietly. 

"People change." Michael glared back at me. He bit his lip, "Sorry."

"You’re right." I frowned, having noticed Finn's odd behaviour regarding Calum, “That’s what worries me."

Ashton sighs, "Maybe Calum will tell us what he said, anyway. We probably didn't need to eavesdrop."

"At least you know for next time." Pip shrugged, as she leaped from her spot, shuffling past and climbed down the ladder before us.

Slowly I climbed down after Ashton and onto the timber flooring below. I heard footsteps and looked to see Emily appear in the corridor. Emily's eyes scanned warily over the little girl, who had paused at the sight of Emily but she didn't say anything. 

Emily smiled at the three of us, "Alright so I have a room made up for you guys. Sorry you'll all have to share one room, but there's not enough rooms for everyone to have their own. The only other room has enough for one person. I could get Pip to trade as hers is bigger but all her stuffs in there, so...." 

Pip pouted anyway, proving that Emily was right not to have chosen that option.

"Hey, we've been living in a tent and a car for the past few weeks, this is the height of luxury." Michael says with a grin. I knew out of all of us, Michael had hated living in the tent the most. Though I hadn't exactly loved it either.

We followed Emily to a room. There was a large mattress laid out on the floor. As well as a bunk bed.

"I bags the bed." Michael yelled. 

I hated climbing up bunk beds, my brother and I had one when we were younger. I'd get over excited and climb all the way up to the top. Then when I reached it and wanted to climb back down. I'd cry about how high up I was and someone would have to rescue me. I didn't feel like finding out if that view had changed. Besides bunk beds always made awful creaking noises as you slept. I wasn't going for that.

"I'll take the mattress...." I say quickly. 

Ashton nods, looking a little pale, "Me too. Cal can have the top bunk."

I started to rifle through my gear, when I saw the comic book sitting on the top of the pile. 

"Oh, Michael. I forgot to give you this." I grinned.

Ashton and Michaels eyes turned to me. A look of knowing appeared on Ashton's face. I held the comic out to Michael who was sitting on the bottom bunk with his bag opened. His eyes widened as he scanned the cover art.

"Oh my god Luke is that the special edition? And the last one I need too! It's out of print, as only a few copies of that version were made. Where the heck did you get it?" He yelled in amazement, looking like an overexcited puppy.

"Well you know how I was in the comic store, this is what I was buying." I smiled at him.

"You did all that for me?" Michael gasped, knowing about the hunter and what had happened in the comic store. "You were an absolute idiot but thank you."

A moment later Michael was on top of me, crushing me with a giant bear hug. I couldn't help but smile knowing I'd done the right thing making all the effort to get it out of there. 

"Told you he'd like it." Ashton giggled.

The door creaks open, causing our laughter to die quickly. I can immediately tell something is wrong, there's a debris of twigs and leaves in his hair and he smells distinctly of the forest. Something told me he'd been a wolf recently. However, when I attempted to gauge his mood I came up a total blank, he was blocking us.

"Calum is everything okay?" Michael asked, pulling away from me. Clearly picking up what I had. 

Calum nodded, but it wasn't convincing. I could sense the annoyance he felt at whatever conversation he'd just had with Finn, “Yeah, it is."

"So, uh, your bunks the top one. Is that okay? Everyone kind of already bagsed them." Michael said, looking sheepish. "Sorry."

"Oh, that's okay, thanks." He climbed up onto the top bunk, taking his backpack up with him from the pile we'd originally made on the ground. The three of us were silent as he climbed.

"Goodnight, guys." Calum called down to us, noticing that we were staring. Before rolling over.

Michael, Ashton and I exchanged glances. Something was wrong. Calum hadn't been in a good mood until we'd made it to Emily's, then he'd been fine until he went to speak to Finn. How strange.

"I guess I should turn the light off." Michael frowned. "That fine with everyone?"

Ashton and I nodded, and Michael switched off the light. I could still make out most things in the darkness, one of the advantages of having enhanced sight. 

_'Ashton, Luke?'_  Michael thinks out.  

_'Yeah?'_  We reply.

_'Something's up with Cal guys, any ideas?'_  Michael looked at us. It was odd, I thought if anyone would know what Calum was upset about it would be him.

_'Finn?'_  Ashton wondered back to us.  I stayed quiet it was the only reasonable explanation, but Finn had been my friend once so I couldn't quite see how he could upset Calum. I couldn't find it in myself to put any blame on him either.

_'Yeah, I don’t trust him yet.'_  Michael frowned. _'I know you were friends with him Luke but I'm not sure he's who you say he is."_

I couldn’t disagree with Michael, I wasn't sure either. I bit my lip. 

_'Oh, please Michael,'_  Ashton looks up at him, _'Finn's fine, your just suspicious of everyone. He said one horrible thing to Calum and that's probably it, Calum will probably be fine in the morning.'_

_'But I haven't seen Calum like this in ages. He was fine until he came back from talking to him.'_ Michael frowns, _'Doesn't that strike you guys as being just a tiny bit odd?'_

_'Yeah, I guess you’re right.'_ Ashton frowns.  _'What are we going to do about it?'_

_'Well we have to find out what Finn said to him obviously.'_   I suggest.

Even in the darkness I can see Michael nod.  _'Of course, I wasn't being direct enough before. I'll ask him again.'_

_'Did Finn say something to you, you seem kind of upset since you got back from talking to him.'_ Michael thinks, clearly including Calum in the conversation. 

_'It was just about you and Luke having ties to hunters. Nothing to worry about.'_  Calum thought back quickly.  _'Now go to bed, okay. I know you three are still up.'_

The three of us looked at one another. Of course, he'd know what we were doing. I let out a sigh, maybe that had been all he'd talked about but it didn't seem to be enough to register that kind of reaction from Calum. It wasn't a new thing that Michael and I had history with the hunters, and I wouldn't have thought there would be much that could make him upset about having us in his pack. 

_'I'm not convinced.'_ Michael thought. 

_'Me either.'_  Ashton frowned.

I shook my head, that didn't seem like something to get like he was. Yet how could we get Calum to tell us what was wrong without upsetting him?

_'Well I don't know about you two, but I'm beat. We can work on solving this mystery in the morning,'_ Ashton let out a yawn. Michael and I nodded. I guess we weren't getting our answers tonight after all. 

I frowned as I thought about what Michael had said about people changing. Had Finn really changed that much since I'd last seen him? I sighed, I hoped not.  


	32. Into The Wild

The light filters onto my face through the crack in the curtains of the window. With a groan, I roll over frowning finding the other half of the mattress empty. I focus my hearing but can only hear heavy snoring. I sit up and notice that Michael's still asleep, his arm hanging out over the bed. I can't help but find its funny that Michael's asleep as he had been the one to tease me about sleeping in. The top bunk is vacant though. Calum seems to be gone as well as Ashton. 

I pulled myself out of bed, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. It only took one step out into the corridor to be able to smell the aroma of pancakes and coffee from down the hall. I followed my nose to the kitchen where Emily and Calum are in the kitchen cooking and Ashton's watching the morning cartoons with Pip on a small television set in the other room. 

"Morning Luke." Emily smiles as I enter. Her eyes turning from a cookbook on the kitchen bench. 

"Morning." I nod, as I let out a yawn.

"Hey Luke, Is that sleepy head Michael up yet?" Calum asked looking up from the batter he was mixing. "Emily wants to talk to us."

I shook my head. "He was asleep when I left."

There was a loud yawn from behind me, I turned to see Michael standing there in his pyjamas, "No, Luke the Elephant just woke me up."

Calum rolled his eyes, "I was about to come and get you both anyway. This is important."

Emily nodded as she pulled an aged looking rolled tube out of the cupboard and flattened it out over the table. I realised that it was a map. Emily's place had been clearly marked, the town was depicted as well as a large section of forest. A thin jagged red lined shape drawn in marker outlined a large section of the map. Michael, Calum and I crowded around her. Ashton leaves Pip at the TV, and joins us, taking Michaels other side.

"So, look at this," Emily pointed along the map, her finger tracing along the inside of the red line, "This whole area is covered by the agreement we have with the hunters." Her hand slid just outside the boundary, "Go outside that and you will no longer be protected by it."

"So basically, we step outside of it and the hunters will try to kill us?" Michael frowned realising what she meant. 

Emily nods, "Possibly, I saw them watching me from their side of the border this morning when I went for a run. I think their waiting for you four to leave."

I frowned, I couldn't help but feel as though we would be confined in these boundaries until the hunters either gave up or we found a way to sneak out. As nice as Emily's place was, I don't know if we could stay here for long, but if the hunters were camped out on it we might not have a lot of choice. It appears now the hunters were after us that the borders marked the line between life and death. 

"That's okay, we're going to be staying here for a while, if that's okay with everyone?" Calum asks, looking a little nervous. We'd intended to stay if we liked the place. I'd had a comfortable sleep last night, and Emily's place had to be a lot better than continuing our road-trip and sleeping in a tent.

After a moment’s thought the three of us nodded. Besides, it was too much of a risk leaving if the hunters had the border surrounded. I looked at the map, noticing there was a large patch of forest that fell inside the border. Would we be able to shift into wolves without the fear of being caught? It seemed so.  I knew the full moon was approaching, so at least if we stayed here we could shift without the fear of being caught. 

"Excellent," Emily smiled, as she rolled the map away, "I better give you boys the tour so you can recognise the border then. You in?"

"Can I come too?" Pip asks as she stands on tip toes and looks over Ashton's shoulder, I hadn't even noticed she was there. It was clear from everyone's expressions including Emily's that they hadn't either. 

"Yeah, I guess so. We might see some hunters though, you won't get too scared?" Emily asked with a concerned look at the small girl. "Finn will still be around, if you want to stay." 

Pip rolled her eyes, “Of course not. I'm twelve now, the hunters don't scare me."

Michael sniggered slightly. Calum jabbed him in the ribs, "Anyway, that would be great Emily." He nodded.

After breakfast, the six of us set out. As my feet pounded along the ground alongside the others with the wind rushing through my fur. I couldn't help but think how great it was to be a wolf again. I hadn't realised until that point how much I'd missed it. It had been such a long time now since I'd last shifted. It had been that night with Michael where I'd been caught. I shook my head, probably shouldn't think about that. We weren't quite out of the woods yet; Emily’s discussion had been a reminder of that. In fact, being out here to check out an invisible border was proof too.

I focused around me; Calum was in the lead with Emily and Pip flanking him on each side. Whereas I stuck back with Ashton and Michael. 

We'd been running for a while until Emily pulled to a stop. Causing our whole formation to skid to a halt. She sniffed the air before tilting her head to a nod, she gave a careful look at each of us. 

_'Do not ever go across here until you’re ready to leave.'_  Emily explains, _'Step over this line of trees and the hunters have fair game over you guys.'_

I looked amongst the trees in the direction that Emily was pointing. They looked almost identical to the landscape around us yet were so different. It seemed strange to think that the trees only a few meters from us were inaccessible to us if we didn't want to be harmed.

_'Someone's watching us.'_  Calum spoke, his eyes on a group of trees. Collectively everyone's eyes followed Calum's gaze, including my own. I could see a set of canvas tents set up around a small bonfire. A group of about five people of various ages milled about. Two people were closer though, a guy and a girl probably in their twenties their eyes trained on us. The man pointed and the other nodded. It was as if they were waiting for us to step over the border. It seemed Emily did have a point. Besides a group of six wolves was obvious. 

' _As I said, until you’re ready to leave it'd be wise not to cross it.'_ Emily frowned before turning on her heel, and beginning to race away, the rest of us following her. I looked back as I heard a frustrated sigh from behind us. The two-people stepping away.  I didn't want to find out what fate lie across the border.

****************

When we arrived back at Emily's; Emily declared that she needed extra food now that we were staying for an extended period. So, the four of us and Emily hopped back into Calum's car and drove the road back to town. My stomach did flip-flops as Calum pulled into the shopping centres carpark. It was a bit strange coming here after yesterday, but it was the only shopping centre in Emily's treaty area. Her and Pip could go past it obviously but the four of us not so much. I wasn't too sure about Finn either, there had been no real explanation about Finn and his reasons for staying here. It was clear he wasn’t a member of Emily’s tiny pack. I thought maybe Emily and him might be in a relationship of some sort but it didn't seem that way either.

"You probably all don't need to come with me to get the food," Emily sighed, as the four of us jumped out the car after her. "Go have a look around if you guys want. We can meet back later." 

I looked at the others unsure, I'd kind of come because everyone else was. Calum had said he was going first, then Michael had insisted he come too, then Ashton and me. So, I wasn't sure what to do. 

"I'm going to help Emily....you three do what you want." Calum spoke quietly. Calum was still an odd mood. He'd seemed a little better this morning than last night but something was still off. 

"I know just the thing, for us to do, then." Michael grinned, at Ashton and me, clearly suggesting that we were going with him, "We'll meet back at the car in an hour."

Calum nodded, soon trailing off with Emily. Leaving the three of us. Michael grinned as he marched into the shopping centre his eyes landing on the store finder kiosk. He worked quickly, covering the shop name. I glanced at Ashton who shrugged. Where on earth were we going? 

"Please remind me what we're doing in this shop again?” I ask, Michael as the three of us walk down the aisles of a two-dollar shop. The walls are lined with strange artefacts typical of these stores. I shake my head.

"Just wait and see." He grins in reply. "Trust me it'll be worth it."

We come to an aisle filled with toys and dress up costumes. What are we doing here? Michael walks ahead his eyes landing on a shelf of large multicoloured water pistols. Now I'm just curious as to where he intends on going with this. 

"Ah ha." He yells as he grabs a set of water pistols enough for the seven of us, passing them over to Ashton and me. As well as a few packets of water balloons from the next shelf. "This will be perfect." 

I think I understand what he plans now. "I think I get it now." 

"Me too." Ashton nods with a small grin.

When we make it back to the car, Emily and Calum who are packing the car quickly raise an eyebrow at us, their eyes on the carry bags that we held. 

"What on earth have you three got in there?" Emily asks as she closes the boot. "You were only gone an hour you couldn't have bought that much."

Michael grins, as he marches over to her and shows her the contents of his bag. 

Emily laughs, "I can't argue with that Michael, Pip's going to love this."

Even Calum cracks a small smile, "You can't keep things plain for long can you Mikey?" 

Michael shakes his head, with a small smile, "There's a reason I have to change my hair colour every few months." 

Emily looks impressed by this. "You're one of those people huh? That's really cool."  

"It was green last month." Calum explains. 

 "Then didn't he have it like bubble-gum pink before that?" Ashton ponders. 

"There was the blue as well." Calum nods in agreement. 

"That looked awesome. Michael, you should go blue again next time." Ashton nodded at him. 

"I was actually thinking red, but maybe?" Michael shrugs as he makes Emily open the boots again and puts the bags into it. "Maybe Luke can choose this time, he hasn't seen anything yet." 

"Red would be cool." I agreed. "Then blue maybe."

Michael nods, "I like that idea. Red next it is" 

We crowded back into the car again. Michael seemed quite proud of himself as we wound through the forest back to Emily's. The happiness was practically radiating through the bond. I had to admit I was a little excited too, it had been a while since I'd been involved in a water fight, and if everyone joined in it was going to be insanely fun. 

Emily reaches over and puts on the radio just as a news broadcast begins. I don't pay all that much attention to it, something about a major accident out on the highway. The next news item however makes my blood go cold. The news bulletin continued, "She's in a serious but stable condition. A witness that works at the store claims that nothing happened, but police are looking for any evidence of a knife or other weapon used at the scene.'

Michaels eyes flicked to me, I heard him mutter a small shit. I would've thought the hunters would've tried to cover it up. Ashton shoots me a concerned look, even Emily bites her lip. She turns to look at me.

"Luke what exactly did you do yesterday?" Calum frowned, his eyes barely moving from the road. My stomach sunk, I'd told everyone but Calum the truth about what had happed yesterday. It hadn't been intentional, he'd just seemed upset last night and I'd kind of forgotten.

"Uh, well..." I started. I took a deep breath, I wasn't sure why it had been easier to admit it to the others then it was to Calum. I think it was something in his tone.

"Luke got himself in a little bit of trouble when we were split up." Michael helped. I nodded at him gratefully. 

"He badly injured a hunter girl." Emily added. "It was an accident."

Ashton nods too, "He probably wouldn't have made it out of there if he hadn't."

"So, you all knew but me?" Calum let out a long sigh, his foot pushing harder on the accelerator. "I knew you were in a bad situation Luke, but you hurt someone using your abilities. We agreed to fight back, not do that."

"Calum, geez! Slow down!" Emily yelled suddenly, her eyes wide, "You're going to get us all killed." 

Calum frowned at her, the car seeming to slow a bit, "I'm mad okay. I hate being the last to know around here especially over stuff like this."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it." I spoke quietly, "I just thought...."

"You have no idea, do you?" Calum snapped, before pulling the car off to the side of the road. He killed the ignition and sat there for a moment. "No wonder the hunters want us killed. You were an idiot Luke, we're just as bad as Zoe. Fighting off the hunters normal is fine, but with claws Luke. Seriously?"

I didn't respond for a moment. The weight of what I'd done hanging over me like a dark cloud. Had I been an Alpha would I have done what Zoe did to me. Calum let out a groan, before he left the car slamming the door as he left. 

"Cal, wait I didn't-" I call after him, flinging open the door to take off after him. He'd barely made it past the car, "You have no idea either, I was just protecting myself. I made a mistake, my senses took over and that was that."

Calum paused for a moment, his whole form shaking. 

"Well mistakes are what gets people killed." Calum growled back, turning back to face me, "Geez, why the heck did I get myself into this. I should've known I couldn't handle anyone else in the pack and just let you die back in that clearing."

I could feel the tears stinging at my eyes. I was so tired of people turning around and saying I should've died in that clearing. Maybe they were right.

"Enough." Michael growled at Calum, I felt him put a hand on my shoulder, "Don't you take this out on Luke either. I don't know what the hell Finn said to you but you've been carrying on ridiculous since then."

"He nearly killed someone Mikey. Don't you see how serious that is?" Calum glared. 

"You can't tell me you wouldn't have done the same. I watched you shift into a wolf yesterday to scare the hunters how is that any different. If they hadn't moved or if something had happened to me then what would've you done." Michael challenged him. 

Calum paled he was still shaking slightly. 

"Exactly what I thought." Michael sighed.

"I'll meet you back at the house." Calum shook his head and turned away. Running into the forest in the direction towards the house. We couldn't have been that far out anyway.

I let out a small sniffle, the tears still threatening to spill out. I'd sacrificed so much to be in this pack and here was Calum shoving it all right back in my face. 

"Aww, come on, Luke don't cry." Michael sighed, before pulling me into a hug, "You did the right thing. He doesn't know what he's saying, Calum loves having you in our pack. It's just hard with all this stuff going on."  
  
I stood there letting all the tears out in ugly wracked sobs. Why the heck did I always end up awkwardly end up crying in front of Michael. I'd felt so much a part of the pack this morning but for what wasn't the first time I felt like such a waste of space. 

"So, Ashton and Emily are going to drive back to the house...so..." Michael finally said once I finished crying. 

I nodded, "I'm going to walk the rest of the way, it's not, far right?" 

Michael nodded, "Yeah it's not. Do you want me to stay with you?" 

I nodded. As we walked back Michael made a massive point of trying to cheer me up. I'd never received so many compliments or heard so many silly jokes in all my life, by the time we made it back to the house I was in stitches. Problem was deep down part of me just wished I knew how to make it up to Calum.

"Let’s have the water fight now." Michael grinned as we walked up the patio into Emily's place. I could see Calum's car parked in the drive so Emily and Ashton had made it here before us.

I frowned, it seemed kind of wrong to start without Calum. "I don't know Michael, I'm not really feeling it right now..." 

"Come on Luke." Michael whined, "You have to come. It looks like Ash and Emily already brought in the shopping so they're right to play. Calum's still missing but he's not far."

"Maybe later." I sighed, already with my hand on the door to go inside. 

"Maybe now." Michael said, tugging on my shoulder. "We need more people."

The door opens under my hand.  "Come on Luke." Pip adds appearing from the other side, making puppy dog eyes at me. I guessed that Ashton or Emily had filled her in on the plans. This was the problem with having a kid with enhanced hearing around you couldn't keep anything a secret. 

"You heard her." Michael grinned. "You wouldn't want to upset her." 

"Fine, okay." I sigh. 

Michael and Pip cheer, the two of them high fiving. 

Apparently Pip has everything out already, we follow her to a set up on a table at the back veranda of the house. I noticed Ashton and Emily were already there waiting for us.  They both looked glad to see us.

"Michael you're in charge, so what are the rules and the teams?" Emily asked, I noticed she gave a careful glance at Pip who squirmed under her gaze.

"No teams. This is a total free for all." Michael nods as he sets down the rules. "Alright so you'll have exactly twenty minutes to prepare your balloons and pistols and then hide. After then it's game on."

"How do we work out the winner?" Emily asks. 

"The person who's the least wet. I guess." Ashton grins. 

Armed with a water pistol and a packet of water pistols I found a tap around the side of the house. I expected someone else to come along but it seemed I had the spot to myself. I heard a loud feminine squeal, and someone yell 'Ashton!' before muttering something about being wet already. I let out a small laugh imagining what might have happened as I filled up my water balloons carefully collecting them in a bucket. 

' _We're starting in one-minute guys.'_  Michael's voice rings in my ears. 

One more balloon to go. 

_'Okay, let’s start...'_  Michael thought out. I was glad that I was done. 

I closed my eyes, I could hear someone racing around the corner. I could sense them too. I had bets it was Michael. I turned the corner, spotting the silhouette of the person heading my way. I pulled my arm back before pushing the water balloon forwards towards them. 

A second later I heard a small gasp. I looked up my eyes locking with a saturated t-shirt. The person's dark hair had fallen wet across their eyes. My heart raced, of all the people why had it been him. 

"Calum!" I gasped, my heart racing in my chest. "I'm sorry I-"

"Well I thought you'd be mad at me, but I didn't think you'd chuck a water balloon straight at my face." Calum smiled, as he pushed the hair out of his face. I was amazed, he wasn't mad at me anymore. "Nice shot though."

I blushed, unsure what I could really say back to him. 

"I'm sorry Luke, I didn't really mean any of what I said." Calum says. "You did the right thing."

"Apology accepted." I nod at him. I wasn't going to argue it out with him. It wasn't worth it right now.

"Come on Calum, you've been missing out!" A voice speaks. A moment later Michael appears a wide grin on his face, as he squirts the water pistol into Calum's face. Calum lets out a gasp as he shakes the water from himself. His eyes narrow at Michael before Calum glances at me, and the water pistol I hold in my other hand, "Can I borrow that?" He asks, with his hand out. Michael flinches, before breaking off into a run. Calum makes chase after him. 

I guess I was going to need another water pistol.  I sigh, as I walked back to the table with my collection of water balloons to find Finn waiting there. He smiled at me, "Not wet yet?" He laughed. 

"I already got Calum." I smiled. 

Finn laughed, "Yeah I saw him chasing after the purple haired one, Michael, right? He looked quite wet? You both got him I take it."

I nodded. "You going to play Finn?" I asked knowing Michael had bought enough for everyone with the intention of everyone joining in.

Finn shook his head, "I prefer to stay dry. Pip will probably try and drag me in soon though. Though your friend Ashton seems to be keeping her attention." He smiled. 

I turn to see what he's talking about. Ashton and Pip seem to have formed their own little team. The two of them squirting at Emily who lets out a giggle. 

"Guys, guys enough." Emily laughs, Pip drops the water pistol quickly. Ashton a few moments later.

Calum and Michael seemed to have teamed up by this point, because both come charging at Pip, Ashton and Emily from both sides. Michael letting out a loud war cry. Ashton and Pip quickly pick up their water pistols. Calum seems to defect to their side though because the three team up spraying Michael instead. 

"I'm down!" Michael screamed as the three surrounded him.

"You better go help them." Finn smiles. 

“Yeah, I better.” I agree, “Sure, you don’t want to play?”  
  
Finn shook his head, “Nah, I’m quite comfortable here.”

“Suit yourself.” I shrugged, before turning on my heel and racing back out to join the others.

I smiled, I wish things could stay like this forever. Pity, all good things must come to an end.


	33. When It Rains

I could get used to staying here at Emily's. With food, every day and a house to stay in rather than a tent, I wasn't sure things could get any better for the four of us in these circumstances. We had found a weird sense of home here with days spent roaming the forest as wolves or in some cases entertaining Pip. She was excited by our presence it seemed and the attention probably wasn't too bad either. Finn had even seemed to warm up to Calum, I'd seen the two of them making jokes about something Michael was doing. It felt as though everything was finally falling into place.

It couldn't last though, I knew we'd have to move on soon. In fact, I'd heard Michael and Calum discussing it on the bottom bunk last light. They must've thought Ashton and I were asleep. Well I think Ashton had been, but I'd heard all of it. A lot of the discussion was about the future and what we were going to do from here. So much revolved around the idea that we were going to have to move on soon. I hated to say it, but they did have a point.

The full moon was in two days' time and I heard them both agree that we would stay until at least then. After that, it would be time to move on. The thought terrified me, I knew the hunters were still camped out at the border we'd seen them almost daily. Sitting, watching, waiting. I knew once we crossed the border we were back in danger. The hunters' weapons would quickly be trained on us once more and we'd be back where we started. I sighed, part of me wished we'd just stay.

"It's raining again." Michael sighed, as he looked out the window. It had been raining all morning and almost all afternoon. Hopefully, it would clear up by the full moon or we were in for a wet night of sticky fur I supposed.

"Mikey, it's your go." Pip declared as she tugged on his fading purple strands, "Quit watching out the window."

"Sorry, Pip." He sighed, taking the seat beside her. He rolled the die, and moved his piece the six spaces.

Pip seemed satisfied with this. Her eyes focused on me, "Luke it's your turn now."

I nodded, taking my turn to roll the die. It landed on a card with a question mark on it. Pip quickly dived for the pile of task cards that went with it. I let out a sigh, ready to see what fate Pip had in store. She frowned, before a grin appeared on her face.

"Back you go to the beginning Luke." Pip spoke already moving my piece back there. Michael grinned, no wonder he was in the lead now. He was pretty much guaranteed to win now.

I let out a loud frustrated sigh, "All the way back there? but that's not fair I'd almost won."

"I don't make the rules!" Pip raised her hands, tucking the card down beside her. "When the card says you have to go back to the beginning you have to go back to the beginning Luke."

I heard the roll of the door as Ashton entered the room. His eyes fell on Pip, "Pip are you playing nice with Mikey and Luke?"

"O-Of course." She nodded with a slight stutter.

Ashton didn't look convinced, "Are you sure?"

Her cheeks went bright red. She looked down at the floor as she flattened the card out, turning it towards the three of us, revealing what it really said. It was the exact amount of moves I needed to win the game. No wonder she'd frowned when she first saw it.

"You cheated!" Michael yelled quickly.

"Knew it." Ashton gave a smug grin, "What have you got to say for yourself?"

"Sorry Luke." She mumbled, quickly, "I just wanted to keep the game going a little longer."

I sighed, I knew she was always worried that people would leave her, so you had to be careful what you said to her, "That's okay. Just don't do it again."

Pip nodded guiltily.

"Why doesn't she cheat with you?" I asked Ashton as he came and sat down beside me.

Ashton laughed, "I have a brother and sister. I know all their tricks and don't let them get away with them either."

"You have a sister?" Pip asked, as she shuffled the cards and cleared the board away.

"She's about your age." Ashton nods, a sombre expression on his face, "You two would get on quite well."

"Can she come and visit?" Pip asks excitedly, her eyes wide on Asthon, she frowned, "Emily doesn't let me have many friends over."

"One day." Ashton nods. "Maybe one day."

We begin to start up the game again, we put Ashton in charge of the chance cards rather than Pip. Apparently, he didn't trust Michael to take care of them either. Considering he wasn't playing this round it seemed fair to me too.

Michael let's out a cheer as his piece makes it across the line. A moment later, I hear the slide of the screen door, and look up to see Calum walking into the room, "What are you guys playing?"

"Well Pip was just cheating." Michael declared. Pip gave him an offended look. He grinned, "I still won though."

"I see. Will we start another game then?" Calum asked, "I'll make sure Pip doesn't cheat."

"It was only once." Pip whined, she smiled at Ashton. "Ash, are you going to play this time too?"

He nodded, "Of course."

Thankfully as promised Pip didn't try to cheat again. I think we might have made her feel a little guilty about doing it. We'd only played a few rounds when there was a loud crash at the door. The five of us exchanged glances.

"Emily." Pip muttered, already racing towards the door a worried expression on her face. The four of us followed her. Emily limped through the door, she carried a large object in her arms. I realised that it was a young preteen girl, bundled up in a blanket. Her blonde hair was a mess and her breathing was frail and shallow. She was ghost like against Emily's olive skin. When Emily moved her arm, I could see a fresh bite mark on the girls' upper arm.

Pip paused in the hallway, she looked uncertain of the newcomer, "Who's that?"

"I rescued her, when I was on my morning run." Emily sighed, at the sleeping girl, she looked about the same age as Pip. "I'm not sure of her name, she trembled it out when I asked her. She'd run away from home, she was freezing. If she'd been out there much longer..."

"So, you turned her?" I asked, my eyes on the bite mark. The others all looked at me in surprise. Except for Calum who was looking over the small girl with a worried expression.

Emily nods, "Yeah. I don't do it, in fact this is the first, but there was something about her, y'know."

Calum quickly nods, I notice his eyes linger on me for a moment, "Yeah I know what you mean."

I was confused for a moment, what on Earth was he looking over at me for. Until I remembered I was the only one of the three of us that he hadn't already been friends with beforehand. I still wondered why he'd done it when they were so protective of their secret. Particularly, when he knew there was the possibility that I was born into a hunter family and could turn on them the first chance I got.

Emily pushed past us after that, making a makeshift bed out of the desk in her office. It was the only room in the house that was currently unoccupied, so it was the best we had. Calum started helping Emily out with the girl putting a dressing over her bite and sending us to get warm towels to help warm her up. It was clear that this wasn't the first time Calum had dealt with this. I frowned remembering that it wasn't, Michael, Ashton and I had all been injured badly.

I hear the click of the door as it swings open, noticing that Finn has walked in the room. Calum quickly glares up at him, there seemed to be a lot of tension between them again. I'd really hoped they'd sorted it out after joking about Michael. It seemed weird that they didn't seem to like each other much, as Finn had been nothing but nice to me since we'd been here. It was as if we were back in year seven again when we had been friends. So, I could never understand why the two of them acted the way that they did. Perhaps it was a male Alpha thing, as neither of them seemed to have much problem with Emily.

"So, you turned someone?" Finn asked surveying the scene.

Emily nodded, wiping her brow, "It was the first one in the eight years I've been a werewolf I think it's okay."

Calum frowned. A look of guilt on his face. He was a few years younger than Emily but already had the three of us.

"That was your first?" Finn looked amazed, clearly, he'd forgotten that Pip didn't count. "I've had two, already."

That answered my question I guess. Finn did have two betas, but where they were, wasn't made clear. There was something odd about that. Emily didn't seem to question it though, she simply nodded.

"I think we're done here." Calum frowned, "We've just got to let her rest until the bite heals her. She must have lost consciousness from being so cold."

"That sounds like a good idea." Emily nods, "Thanks Calum."

"Emily, so does that mean you'll come play with us?" Pip asked, "Finn you too."

"I have something I need to take care of, sorry" Finn spoke, looking down at the small girl with sympathetic eyes, "Besides aren't you already monopolising these four."

"I guess." Pip frowns.

"I just need to clean up and I'll be in." Emily smiles at her, "I promise."

Pip nods and the five us head back into the dining room to return to the game. It was a lot easier to play without Pips cheating. I wonder how many times she had cheated in that first game.

Emily eventually returned as well, seemingly happy to be distracted by Pip's game. We were just finishing of the next game when I heard a loud blood-curdling scream that seemed to echo through the entire house. Emily's ears pricked up instantly, her eyes alert. She leaped from her chair and raced out the room without a single word.

Calum follows her, and naturally so do the rest of us.

When we enter the hallway, Calum is standing there frozen in place with a look of horror all over his face. I move in front of Calum to find Emily's sitting in the hallway his knees brought to her chest, her eyes trained on the open door in front of her where she'd left the girl. She shakes her head, and I'm sure I can almost see a tear-streak running down her cheek.

"She's rejecting it." Emily mutters, barely glancing back at us.

Oh god no.

The words came back to me from when I'd first met Calum and found out I was going to be a werewolf. He'd told me that not everyone survived a bite and became a werewolf themselves, some rejected it as well. He'd told me I had nothing to worry about as I hadn't become so sick. I frowned, this was the flipside he'd been talking about. Perhaps the screaming should've been a hint. I closed my eyes taking a deep breath. This was the curse of being able to have this ability, having the power to give someone this second chance if they were injured. Not everyone made it, but from what Emily had said it had been worth the risk. She wouldn't have made it much longer anyway. Putting it in perspective like that made me feel at least a little better about it.

"Calum come on, let's go back in here." I hear a voice say.

I turn to find Michael is tugging on Calum's shoulder. Calum had gone pale and his face is vacant. When I try to sense his emotions, I come up a blank, it was like staring into nothingness. I'd never seen him like this, but why? It was upsetting, but he didn't even know this girl.

Behind them I could see Ashton blocking Pip's path into the hallway, he shook his head at her. "You don't need to see this." He told her.

She pouted but returned to the room. Michael manages to make Calum go back into the other room. I turn back to Emily. "You should go too Luke," She says through sobs. I nod, following the others into the room. It was evident she wanted to be alone. I wished there was something I could do to change the fate of the girl in the room but I knew it was impossible.

When I walk back into the kitchen. Michael's forcing Calum to sit on one of the stools, he gets Ashton to bring Calum a glass of water. However, when Ashton offers it to him Calum pushes it away, but his expression remains the same. Ashton gives him a concerned look before stepping back. I glance at Ashton as if he might be able to explain what's going on between the two of them but he doesn't seem to know either.

Michael doesn't seem to suggest what's wrong. He takes the seat beside Calum and just seems to be waiting for him. There's nothing. I open my mouth to say something but Michael shakes his head. Even Pip's silent, I can see her watching us quietly. I decide to wait a moment, perhaps they might explain what's wrong.

A few minutes and then there's more screams, even louder this time.

It's in that moment that I feel a tsunami wave of distress through the bond, it suffocates me for a moment as if I'm experiencing it myself. I grip onto the table to steady myself. It wasn't my own, I realise these emotions belongs to Calum though not me. What is he going through right now? What happened for him to react this way?

The chair scrapes along the wood flooring as Calum stands up. His hands are shaking and he shakes his head. "I can't be here."

He starts to head towards the glass door that leads outside onto the veranda and the trees beyond.

"Cal-" I say, leaping from my chair to follow him. He can't go out there, it's raining. He'll get soaked.

He ignores me completely and opens the door, and races into the rain. His barely off the patio when he shifts into a wolf. A loud howl breaking off into the night. Feelings rip through me, pain, anguish. I want to go after him. I want to go and run out there as well. I need it.

I'm pulled backwards as Michael grips my shoulder. I freeze letting out a small growl at him. He shakes his head, but the urge to run is still burning through me. I suck in a deep breath, trying to suffocate the feeling. I notice he's gripping Ashton with his other hand.

"Why can't we go after him?" Ashton asks, his eyes glimmering with golden. I nod in agreement.

Michael shakes his head. "Just don't."


	34. Long Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **I don't usually suggest songs that go with chapters but I first heard 'Long Night' by With Confidence about the time I was drafting this story about a year ago. It fits this chapter so well and even helped inspire some of the story. (I even named this chapter after it.) So, if you're someone that likes music that goes with chapters I'd recommend it.**

****I focus on the rain as it pours down, drenching the trees surrounding the house and turning the dirt to mud. Worst of all, it feels like a barrier from the outside world. I want to be out there, searching for him, making sure he's okay. Yet it and Michael's words are blocking me. I place my hand on the window as I look out, feeling the cool night air pushing on it.

I can't take this for much longer.

I stand with Michael and Ashton at the window, the two of them are also watching the rain. It's almost as if we all expect to see his silhouette appear through the trees and that'll he'll appear at any moment. Yet, it had been at least half an hour and he hadn't returned. I was starting to worry that something had happened. I wish Michael had let us follow him. At least we'd have known where he'd gone.

"He's alright, isn't he? He's been gone awhile." Ashton finally said, his eyes barely moving from outside.

I hoped so. I could barely sense Calum right now so I couldn't help but assume the worst. He was clearly cutting us off on purpose. I knew he could look after himself, but I had visions of him crossing the border without realising and being captured or attacked by the hunters. I knew he was smarter than that, but in the state, I'd seen him leave in I wasn't so sure of anything.

Michael tapped his fingers on the window, seeming unsure what to say.

We'd sent Pip back to her room, and put a movie on. It was High School Musical and she seemed happy to watch it. Emily was grateful to us for providing Pip with a distraction. She seemed a little better now, but her eyes were weary making her look a little ghost like. It was clear her decision was haunting her. I had no idea what to say. I had no idea what it was like to be in her position, to have so much power but be unable to save someone that you thought that you could.

I winced as a bolt of strong emotion came at me from out of nowhere almost knocking me backwards with its force. Alarmed, I glanced over at Michael and Ashton who both wore looks of surprise on their face. They'd felt it too.

There was only one other person whose emotions I could sense. He wasn't alright. Sure, I thought it was awful that the girl in the other room was rejecting the bite but it wasn't enough to render that kind of reaction. Calum had always seemed so calm in the face of this kind of thing. This was different, something had set him off about it. I just couldn't seem to put my finger on what. Michael seemed to know, that's why he hadn't let us follow. What was it though?

Ashton shook his head, "Alright, that was a stupid question. He's, not is he?"

"No." Michael finally said as he glared out the window, pressing his palms onto the window sill.

"Did something happen?" I ask quietly.

His eyes barely wavered, he sighs, turning away from the window and leaning back on it, "Yeah it did."

Mine and Ashton's full attention falls onto him. Michael looks between the two of us, a slight hint of fear in his eyes as he bites his lip. He lets out a groan. "Look he can't carry on like this without you both knowing what happened. You were both going to find out eventually."

I see Ashton nod at him to continue. I was curious as well, I desperately wanted an explanation to this.

"He's going to kill me for telling you this but there was a girl that he liked, Sophie was her name." Michael begun, turning around to face the window rather than us, "We'd always been friends with her for a long time. She was the only one who still talked to us after we split off from our friends when we first fell into all this werewolf business. When we were in year eight, they started hanging out more and more. At some point, I realized that they were in love. It was almost impossible to imagine the two of them without each other."

Michael paused for a moment before taking a deep breath.

"She'd suspected something different about him for a while because he was always so unusually warm, and he would sometimes look at me, and we would react as if we were talking to each other but we weren't."

I remembered back to when I'd first met the three of them, I remembered how scorching warm Michaels hand had been when I'd bumped it in class. The way the three of them had looked at each other. I hadn't guessed werewolves, but I did think there was something unusual about the three of them.

"So, did she work it out then?" Ashton asked, as he seemed to notice where the story was going.

Michael nodded, "Kind of. Calum was totally against telling her. She had all sorts of jokes about us being psychic but she never once guessed it. So, we just left it at that. It wasn't until we were on an overnight school excursion, that she finally found out. Even then it was only because the three of us were put in a group together for one of the activities. It involved us navigating through the bush, which Calum and I probably would've been excellent at if we'd known the terrain. At some point during the activity we were attacked by a large animal, I can't remember what it was, everything happened so quickly I can barely remember the details. It was dangerous though, it charged towards us teeth bared. My first instinct was to shift, but I remembered Sophie was with us. So, I tried to pull the two of them out the way. Calum pushed past me, and in turn shifted right in front of her. It scared the animal causing it to flee, but it gave us a rather big problem."

"She'd found out Calum was a werewolf." I spoke, Michael nodded, "Was she afraid of you then?" I asked.

"No. Surprisingly she wasn't. Even after she found out, she still loved him. She accepted both of us, just like that. In fact, a few weeks later the two them started dating and she'd sometimes come out with us. It made me feel a little like a third wheel sometimes, but they were cute." He smiled as if lost in his thoughts.

"Something bad happened to her, didn't it?" Ashton frowned, picking up the tone of the story as I had. He kept talking in past tense and that worried me.

Michael nodded, his eyes downcast.

"She was in a car accident.... a pretty awful one. Her mother's car slid onto the other side of the freeway into an oncoming car." He sighed, "Her mum was injured a little bit. But Sophie... Well, she was never going to be able to walk again and there was still a ton of operations she needed to have. So, Calum thought like me he could bite her, thus healing her so that she could walk again and that the operations wouldn't need to happen. He did the right thing, he suggested it to her and she agreed. She didn't want to be stuck in a wheelchair the rest of her life."

Michael shook his head, and seemed like he wasn't going to continue any longer. I had a feeling he was upset by it too, but not in the same way as Calum. I think I already knew where the story had led based on what was happening here in the present. The girl in there was dying, just like she had. Why else would he have needed to leave the room so badly?

"She died, didn't she? Her body rejected it." I say, quietly.

Michael nods, his eyes far-away. "Yeah."

I closed my eyes, poor Calum. To have loved someone like that and to lose them from a choice you'd made to save them. I'd felt sorry for Emily but what he'd gone through would've had to have been a whole lot worse. He'd known Sophie, hell he'd loved her probably more than anything.

"I shouldn't have asked him to save me. He was scared that it was going to happen again, wasn't he?" Ashton mutters as he drums his fingers along the window ledge. "I had no idea. That's the real reason he doesn't like us talking with people outside of us, isn't it? Why he was so mad at you for making friends with me. He's scared that if something ever happens to them and he needs to make this choice again, he'll end up killing them instead. Even more so after what happened with me."

Michael sighs and nods, "You couldn't have known. I honestly thought he was over it, but after tonight..."

He looked outside again. He clearly wasn't.

"We should be out there with him." I say, as I point out to the forest. I could feel his emotions clawing through me, now. It seemed he wasn't trying to block us out anymore. It was awful. No one deserved to encounter these feelings on their own. I couldn't just sit here listening any longer. He needed us. "I know you can both feel it through the bond. He's struggling so much."

Ashton nods, "Luke's right, I think we've let this go on long enough. Michael we've got to find him."

Michael doesn't respond for a moment, he just looks outside but he nods turning back to face both of us. "Alright. Let’s go."

As the three of us walked out together in the corridor. I could hear the girl screaming and crying from the room. If I thought this was horrible it must've been magnified by a million for Calum. Michael paused and approached the room, and Emily came out of it before he could make much more of a step.

"Emily, we're just going out to find Calum." Michael says into the room.

She nodded, looking back into the room and noticed that Calum wasn't here. "Good idea. It's probably better if you're not here for this."

As if to prove her point I heard another scream from the room. Emily winced.

"Hurry, it'll get worse soon." She said.

We didn't need an invitation, I didn't really want to hang around here much longer. We said our farewells to Emily and the three of us walked out onto the deck. I stood there for a moment watching the rain come pouring down. For Calum, we were going to have to go out in that it seemed. I let out a sigh.

"It should be easier for us to find him as wolves." Michael frowned, clearly dreading being out in the wet.

Damn, wet fur too. I reminded myself that this was for Calum. He'd do the same for any of us. Cheering up Calum was way more important than wet fur anyway.

Ashton nodded, a look of seriousness on his face. "Good idea."

I took a deep breath, as I saw Michael's eyes glow with golden. I shifted myself, the three of us bounding off the porch in unison. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the darkness but I could soon see almost perfectly.

I realised that it was like following a trail, I could feel Calum's presence like an internal compass. I could sense Michael and Ashton around me as well, but I focused on him. I'd noticed it before but now that I was trying to find him it was a lot more noticeable. It was like a path guiding me to him.

We raced along through the trees, rain splattering into our faces the thick layer of mud making the surface slippery. He'd travelled a long way it seemed, I hoped my fears hadn't rung true and he'd ended up as far as out at the border. We came to a section of trees that were thinned out. The land was heavily grassed and vacant except for the dark brown shape occupying the centre of it. It was sprawled out on its back and for a moment I was worried that it was dead. Then an ear flopped. We'd found him.

Michael started to slow down and Ashton and I followed hesitantly behind him as we walked closer. Calum didn't seem to react, his mood unwavering. He didn't seem to realise we were here.

_'Wait here.'_  Michael paused, as he glanced back at us.

Doing as we were told, Ashton and I come to a stop. I hope he knew what he was doing. He approached around the other side, first nudging on him to get up. The wolf whined.

_'Go away, Michael.'_  Calum growled.

_'No.'_

Calum didn't respond, he just rolled over. This was useless, maybe we should've left him alone a little bit longer.

_'Come on. I know what your upset about.'_ Michael spoke, nudging him again,  _'Remember you did everything you could've done for her. She'd hate to see you still upset about it.'_

_'I killed her.'_ He growled,  _'Just like that. That girl, those screams they remind me of hers’ that night.'_

' _I know Cal. They remind me too.'_ Michael sighed.

Calum seemed to sit up at that. He turned to face Michael.

' _Sophie was my other best friend for a while there. I sat there that night too. I miss her so much, maybe not as much as you but I totally get it, Cal. She meant a lot to both of us and I know for a fact she wouldn't want us to act like this.'_

_'True....'_ Calum frowned.  _'I-just can't be there right now. I deserve to be alone.'_

_'Don't do this, you were doing the right thing.'_ Michael frowned, ' _You can't stay out here forever.'_

' _Just lie with me, okay. Stay quiet.'_ Calum mumbled, _'That's all I need right now.'_

Michael nodded and lied on the grass beside him. I let out a sigh, at least this looked like it could work. Michael really had known what he was doing. He knew Calum better than Ashton and myself combined. If anyone was going to break through to him it would be him. I took a step back, perhaps we should give them some space, we didn't want Calum to know we were here just yet. I felt my paw land on something hard and fur like. Ashton let out a small whine. I jerked back in surprise.

_'Wait, what are Luke and Ashton doing here?'_ Calum glared over at us, causing Michael to freeze. He clearly had been so upset with Michael that he hadn't noticed us until now.

_'Oops.'_ Ashton muttered, backing away I followed trying to hide in the shadows behind us.

_'Well they found out what you were upset about, and wanted to come and cheer you up too_.' Michael says.

_'You told them?'_ He growled, standing up and baring his teeth at Michael. I'd never seen him like this. I didn't know what to say.

_'I had to Cal.'_  Michael replied as he stood up again, his eyes holding his gaze, 'They deserve to know.'

_'It's fine Cal, we understand.'_  I say, with a glance at Ashton who nods.

_'You did what you needed to do. What any of us would've done'_  Ashton adds.

_'You don't really, either of you.'_  Calum glanced at us, backing away from Michael,  _'None of you can know what it's like thinking you're saving someone you love and then having to sit there and watch as they die.'_

None of us had an answer for that. I really didn't know what that felt like. The only hints I'd had were the feelings that I'd been getting through the bond from Calum. That had been more than enough. To be living with that kind of pain must be dreadful.

_'I know you’re trying to help but just leave me alone all of you. Just for tonight.'_ Calum says, ' _I can't go back there right now and I certainly can't be around any of you. Why did the three of you survive and she didn't?'_

He shakes his head and promptly turns away from us, his back legs already kicking themselves into a run. Then suddenly a second shadow seems to leap through the air, on top of him dragging him to the ground. A strong sense of confusion and panic streams through to me. What the hell?

When the two shadows separated, I realised that it was another wolf. It couldn't be Emily or Pip or even Finn, though could it? She wouldn't jump on him like that. I couldn't see Finn doing it either. I glance behind me; Michael and Ashton are still standing equal to me. So, it wasn't them. Emily had said they did have visitors from other packs sometimes but why would they hurt Calum.

Calum stood up again, snarling at the newcomer as they begin to circle each other. Are they going to fight? Just who is it though?

_'We have to help him.'_ I think to the others. 'If we get-'

_'No. We stay.'_  Michael says, breaking me off. 'We're not doing anything yet.'

Was he crazy? Ashton lets out a whine.

_'Why?'_  I ask shooting him a glance.

_'Just listen to me. Stay. '_  Michael frowns, ' _Calum's an Alpha, he can handle this.'_

The darker wolf jumped on top of him, and the two rolled backwards and forwards along the grass.

I wanted to disobey Michael. I hated just watching and here I was doing it again. What twisted logic was this, before it made sense Calum needed alone time. Now, I felt like an idiot.

_'CALUM!'_  I thought out as I spotted the line of trees that Emily had said was the border of the safe area. He was over it. Sure, enough, hunters appeared from nowhere their weapons pointed at him. He was no longer protected. After being wiped out by the other wolf he took his time getting up, his body still healing from the impact. He tried to stand, falling hopelessly back to the ground.

I gritted my teeth, I couldn't watch this. Yet I knew that if I jumped in, I'd be in danger as well. Michael had said we needed to stay put. I should just wait behind the border and hope that he would be alright. Calum was an Alpha, he was the strongest of the four of us he could handle himself. Well at least Michael seemed to think that, I wasn't so sure.

The other wolf stood over him, I could almost see the laughter in their eyes as they raised their paws into the air bringing them crashing down on Calum. I saw an arrow fly from some hunters bow, also hitting him a few moments after.

A painful howl broke from Calum's mouth and anguish ripped through me. What was I doing just standing here? He'd saved my life once upon a time. It was my time to return the favour for real. Screw Michael and his waiting.

Without further hesitation, I leaped across the border.


	35. Protector

My paws slide and skid on the muddy ground below as I race forwards. My thoughts move quickly, there's not much time. I knew my goal needed to be getting the other wolf away from Calum. That way he could at least get back over the border. 

However, I stalled, when I noticed the hunter raising their bow again. They were ready to strike and Calum was directly in their path. Barely thinking, I dashed in between them and Calum. He had taken enough pain tonight. As I heard their arrow release, there was a slight click as it faltered. I felt the tip of the arrowhead as it scrapped across the back of my hind leg. The spot began to sting, and I let out a small whimper. Through the bond, I could faintly hear Michael and Ashton calling me to come back.

I gritted my teeth and ignored them. I don't know how they could just stand back there and watch. I turned away from the hunter now, looping back around to face the wolf. They now had Calum in the same position, but were thrashing their drawn claws into his chest. Neither seemed to have noticed the hunter. 

I pushed forwards off my back legs, as I launched myself onto the other wolf. Fur met my paws, as I landed on top of them. We both fell forwards, the intruder wolf letting out a small shriek of surprise. The wolf turned as we fell dragging me with it. We rolled on the grass for a moment; teeth bared, our strength matched. Whoever they were, they were strong. I threw myself onto them using every bit of force I had. I gritted my teeth as I finally pinned them down. A thought came to me, could I talk to them? I frowned, I'd never tried to talk to someone outside the pack before. It was worth a shot.

_'Who are you?'_  I thought out angrily as I focused my thoughts on them.

' _Come on Lukey, think.' The other wolf replied only a few seconds after._

My eyes widened. Only one person called me that. Finn? I recoiled, I still had him pinned but my grip loosened. I hesitated, I couldn't attack Finn.

I felt a large shift beneath me as Finn pushed me off with his paws. The wind rushed through my ears as I fell onto the mess of grass, mud and stones below. I quickly pulled myself up, shaking the mud from my fur. I stood to face him. I should've suspected him to be the wolf considering his behaviour around Calum, but what had pushed him so far as to hurt him?

I looked behind the dark furred wolf to see Calum was lying there behind him, halfway between the border. He'd shifted back, his dark hair a mess of leaves, twigs and mud as it fell across his face. When I focused my eyesight, I could see the raw claw marks across his chest and arms. He breathed deeply, his pain radiating through to me from the bond.

My gaze moved upwards to where the hunter had been to find it vacant. I searched nearby. It appears the hunters had left, which I found odd. There was a small whine and my attention fell back on Finn.

_'Impressive, Lukey.'_ Finn snarled, as he began to circle around me,  _’You have a lot more fight in you than I thought. I suppose it makes sense considering what your parents did to my brother. Must run in the blood.'_  Finn snarled, as he paraded around me.

_'Huh? What do you mean?'_  I ask, tilting my head sidewards.

_'Didn't you know?'_  He sneered, as he pushed his body upwards so that he would be taller than me.  _'Your parents murdered my brother.'_

I stared at him for a moment, my mind disconnecting from the rest of my body. My stomach sank. I had nothing I could say to that. Since I'd learnt that they were hunters, part of me had known they would have killed a numerous number of werewolves over the years. They were hunters after all. Knowing that they'd done that was bad, but knowing it had happened to someone you'd known was a different story.

I'd known Finns brother. He'd been a few years older than us and a quiet but friendly guy. My main memories of him involved him helping Finn and I with our homework. Other than that, he'd kept to himself. He'd just been around, a lingering presence. 

I sucked in a deep breath, raising my head to look at him.  _'Look, I'm really sorry what happened with your brother. But, I had nothing to do with it Finn.'_

_'I can't believe you.'_  He growled, ' _You have no idea, do you? They set fire to the house and let it burn. He wasn't hurting anyone. My parents either, my father was killed in the fire as well and my mother was badly injured. I was the only one who made it out unscathed and that was only because I was coming over to see you Luke, no one told me you'd left.'_

I closed my eyes. That was horrible. My thoughts returned to the night we'd left that town. My parents had told me we'd be moving only a few days earlier but I hadn't been allowed to tell anyone. Only, the teachers had known. I'd finished school that day, the entire contents of our house had been packed into the car and trailer. I remember I fell asleep in the car with my brothers before we'd even made it out of the city. Could that have been the night it happened? I didn't know of the fire, so I assumed it must've been. No wonder when we'd left that town I'd found all the contacts had been deleted from my phone. A fresh start, my mother had smiled when I'd told her they were missing. I realised looking back, that they hadn't wanted me to know what had happened. Just how many times had they done that to me without my knowledge? How much destruction had my family caused right behind my back. 

His form trembled, ' _You left me, Luke. First your parents took my brother and then you too. You didn't answer any of my phone calls. Then I became a werewolf and things got worse for me.' He paused, 'It was okay at first, I had a pack and two betas, Kyle and Connor. It was great, I felt so powerful and had so much purpose until they rejected me when a better Alpha came along. That's why I hate you Luke, my life was fine until you and the werewolves. I see now this was all your fault.'_

I wanted to protest about the phone as all my contacts had been deleted. But before I realised it, he'd launched on top of me, causing me to fall backwards. His claws dug into my fur, I let out a howl. Feeling so weak and useless, I was only a Beta I couldn't challenge an Alpha like this. Even Calum had struggled. It was useless, why did I have to be so weak. Why couldn't I be strong enough to protect my friends whilst I was a wolf? 

A thought occurred to me, I could be powerful whilst I was a wolf though. I had managed to pin Finn down earlier when I hadn't known who the wolf was. Maybe part of the old Finn was still in there, the boy who had been my first high school friend. I wasn't dealing with him now though, I was considering the eyes of a boy who wanted revenge for something that I'd never wanted to be part of. My thoughts flashed back to Calum lying there on the ground. Besides, he'd hurt Calum and maybe it was just pack instinct but I couldn't forgive someone for hurting him. 

With a sudden burst of strength, I pushed forward rolling him off me, the other wolfs eyes winded in surprise as I pinned him back in place again. He needed to see my side of it too.

_'My parents might have done those things Finn, but they're not me. I didn't know about this. I've moved my entire life only to find out this about them. Then I became a wolf too, and once they found out they kicked me out. I haven't exactly had it easy either. Neither have any of the other guys in this pack.'_ I frowned at him, thinking of what Michael had told me tonight about Calum and Sophie, and in the past about the hunters, ' _Bad stuff happens sometimes but you can't let it control you. Quit this stupid fight now Finn, I know you're better than this.'_

_'No.'_ He growled as he tried to push me off. I forced my strength down on him.

I felt something tug at my tail but ignored it. The tugging grew stronger until I felt myself being pulled backwards on the grass. I let out a growl as I turned to face Michael, who must've been the one who pulled me off,  _'Luke let me handle this.'_ He spoke forcefully.  _'He wants a fight, so I'll give it to him, you're getting hurt,'_

' _Michael, you can't fight him!'_  I yell, realising he was telling me to step back.  _'At least not on your own.'_

_'Then help me.'_ He spoke, his eyes glowing a brighter shade of golden more like when we first shifted. It startled me for a moment but I nodded.

I heard a crackle beside me and turned to find that Ashton now flanked my other side, his eyes the same bright golden as well.  _'And me too.'_

I nodded at Ashton, as he walked forwards past me around to the other side of Finn. I couldn’t help but think that after all that, they only just decided to come and help me.

I noticed Finn look between the three of us, as he pulled himself from the ground,  _'Pfft, I'm not scared of a group of Betas.'_

_'You should be.'_  Michael thought as he let out a growl. ' _You can't hurt any of us and get away with it.'_

Ashton stood behind him now, we had him cornered. There was a genuine look of fear in the dark coloured wolfs eyes as he looked around at us, realising what we had done. It was three against one now.

I felt my instincts take over at that point. He'd hurt Calum and I was upset, so everything I'd been holding back on him soon started to rage within my mind. Michael nodded and the three of us leaped at him. Finn let out a growl launching at Michael first, I figured Finn knew that he was the best fighter. Michael raised his paw slicing it at him. Ashton and I grabbed at Finn's tail pulling him backwards, pulling him away from Michael. Finn lashed out at me with claws and fangs clearly visible. I held my paws up to protect myself, Finn let out a whine as he fell into them. He shifted back as he fell.

I gasped, a sudden feeling of guilt falling over me. That time I'd only been trying to protect myself. The three of us crowded around him as he continued to lay there motionless. I could hear a pulse though, so he must be okay, I took a step backwards as my head began to swirl and my body ached. The last few moments finally catching up with me it seemed. I felt slightly weak, so I shifted back with barely a thought. My vision wavered and I fell to my knees as pain wracked my stomach. I bent over and tried to focus on my breathing, as I resisted the urge to gag. As I did so, I noticed the patterns of red lines on my entire body. I winced as I moved on them, they would heal soon, I hoped. I looked over at Michael, just as he shifted back too, his arms bore marks like my own. The bond was a mix of emotions; relief and guilt. It showed when he half-smiled at me.

Ashton was mid shift when I looked over to him, he was racing over to Calum before pulling him up onto his side. Calum winced, as Ashton checked him over, "I'm okay, I'm already starting to heal." He muttered. 

Ashton looked unsure but nodded. Calum managed to sit up on his own, after that. It struck me, how pale he looked, a stark contrast to the mud and markings that covered him.  

"What about the two of you?" Ashton called over at us.

I nodded, pulling myself up. Michael beside me had moved into a seated position, he looked a little pale though too, "We're fine, I think." I told him.

Michael nodded slowly, "A little beaten up but I'm fine."

A relieved look crosses Ashton’s face, he only had a few markings compared to the rest of us. He hadn't been in the path of Finns claws as much as Michael and I had been. Ashton pulled at his hair where the mud was starting to clump in his hair. I sighed, thinking that mine would be much the same. I looked around at least it had stopped raining it seemed.

"So, uh, what the heck was that Luke?" Ashton asked, with a glance in my direction.

I blinked at him. "What the heck was what?" I suddenly felt self-conscious. I knew I probably shouldn't have run off on my own and across the border like that. I thought Ashton would've understood why I did it. 

"Your eyes, they were such a bright golden." Ashton spoke, noticing my confusion, he added, "Right before you raced off."

"Yeah, I noticed that too." Michael nods.

I frowned, but that was what I'd noticed about them when they'd come to help with Finn, "But you guys, too?"

"Luke's right, it wasn't just him, all three of your eyes were like that." Calum nodded. "I've never seen or heard of anything like it before,"

The three of us exchanged glances, how strange. I looked around no one’s eyes were glowing now though. Whatever had caused them to go like that was clearly gone. 

"Whatever it was, it scared the hunters away too." Michael agreed.

"Yeah, where did they go? They seemed to have shot a few arrows and then disappeared." Ashton frowned.

"No idea." Michael frowned his eyes scanning over the other side of the border. I couldn't seem to see anyone left. Odd, what made them leave this time. We were clearly over the border, you'd think that they'd have had to have been onto Calum and I fiercer than that for being over the border.

"Anyway, let's head back to Emily's she probably has medical supplies back at her place." Ashton said, "Are you okay to walk Calum?" 

Calum nodded, he pushed back onto to his arm to pull himself up. He was only a few centimetres off the ground, when he let out a small groan and fell back down, "Make that a no... perhaps I can do it if you three help me up."

Ashton frowned but nodded, "Luke you take the other side."

Quickly, as Ashton had instructed I took Calum's other side, letting him put his arm around my shoulders. Ashton did the same on the other side. Slowly we pulled him up letting him use us to support his weight. Our first few movements were a bit shaky, but we managed to walk a few steps together. Michael watched on with a concerned look, I think he wanted to be of more help. 

There was a crackling of leaves, and our four heads shot up. I turned back to across the border expecting to see the hunters again.

"Oh, aren't you all cute." Finn smiled sarcastically, as he pulled himself up. There were shadows under his eyes, and he looked rather pale. He clearly hadn't come out of this unscathed either.

Michael's fists were shaking as he marched over to Finn a massive scowl on his face, before he pointed back at Calum, "YOU COULD'VE FUCKING GOT HIM KILLED!" Michael yelled in Finn's face.

Finn's face remained emotionless.

"That's what you wanted, wasn't it?" I growled at him, as we approached, Ashton and I still holding Calum up. "I get why you fought me, be why would you try to hurt Calum?"

"I know why." Calum glanced at him, fury evident in his eyes by the yellow tinge "You wanted my betas in your pack. You wanted me to bow down to you, but I didn't. If you killed me, you thought you'd have them for yourself. You knew Luke trusted you and you thought he would then get Michael and Ashton to follow suit."

That was the reason Finn leaped at him like that? I glanced between Calum and Finn. Noticing that Michael and Ashton were glancing between them in the same way. No one else knew why Finn had been quite happy to fight me. I wondered if that was even what he'd wanted to happen. Finn had seemed determined to see me pay for the awful things my parents had done to his family. Not just to get himself another pack of wolves.

Finn simply laughed, "You are a feisty little alpha, aren't you? No wonder the hunters are on your trail. I'm surprised you've made it this far, your kind don't usually get too f-"

"Finn, that's enough." A voice yelled.

Finn froze. My eyes trailed backwards to a figure emerging through the trees. Her hair was a mess, her eyes covered with sleep deprived rings. She managed to glare with him as much ferocity as she normally had. Her eyes glancing at me, then onto Ashton, before resting on Calum and Michael. Surprisingly her eyes moved back to Finn.

"Dammit Finn, what the hell did you do to them?" She yelled.

Finn shrugged, "Nothing, we were just having a friendly talk."

Her eyes glazed over Calum, "Then why are those too holding Calum like that, and why do all of you look like you've been in a fight. Why do I get the feeling that you started it?"

He remained quiet and still whilst holding her gaze.

Her face formed into a scowl. "Finn don't think I don't know what happened to the rest of your pack." Emily yelled at him, her hands making wild movements, "They all rejected you, when that Alpha came to visit. It doesn't mean you try and take someone else's! Dammit Finn, I let you in here because I felt sorry for you. I should've let those damn hunters take you too."

"Emie-"

"Don't you dare, Emie me Finn. I'll have you realise that I just watched a girl die tonight, I don't need to see you destroy a pack as well." She let out a loud huff, "You know what, just get out of here Finn. I'll make sure the hunters know you're not covered by our treaty anymore."

His eyes widen, but he doesn't argue with her. He simply turns and crosses over the border, I watch as he shifts into a wolf as he leaves. Part of me was a little angry that he got to escape, but Emily's in charge around here so her decision goes. 

Emily shakes her head before she glances to us. "Cal? Are you okay?"

He nods. "Fine, I only need to heal a little longer."

It was enough to make him shift back though which worries me, but if Cal thinks that he's fine I'm not going to argue. I'll feel a lot better though once Calum's not using us as crutches to walk.  

"Good." She says, "It makes this easier."

It makes what easier? I frown as she pauses as if trying to choose her next words carefully.

"Go back to the house, grab your things." She said to us, her eyes stone cold, "And then don't come back. Right now, it's not safe for you here either. I'm so sorry that this didn't work out, but hopefully the hunters should leave you alone for a while."

"Why?" Michael asks with a stunned look. Considering Calum and he were talking about moving on, I'm surprised by his reaction. I'm unsure what the change is but Emily must have her reasons. 

She shook her head. "Just listen to me please. I'm sure we'll cross paths one day, but you cannot stay here."

"Okay, that's fine." Calum nods quickly.

"But Calum...." Ashton protests.

"It's okay. I'm healing" He assured us, though the way he was clinging onto us didn't give me much belief of that.

Ashton frowned, "What about until morning?"

"Probably not a good idea." Emily shook her head, "I'm sorry, things have changed. Events are happening here that involve way more than you boys deserve to be involved in right now. Besides if you stay, Finn will find you here too. Whatever his issue is with you boys, he won't give up so easily,"

Everyone's eyes fell to Calum, we trusted Emily but the three of us were all still unsure about Calum's state. I could feel everyone's worry for Calum through the bond, mixed with my own. 

Calum nodded, "I swear I'm fine guys. I might need some help but by tomorrow morning I'm sure I'll be all healed,"

Michael frowned, "You were injured by another Alpha though Calum those take longer to heal. Everyone's going to take a little while to heal properly."

"Well we still have the car I guess, and I can drive." Ashton pondered, "As long as we can get Calum back to the car, the car should be safe enough."

There was a collective nod, none of us had really thought of that. Getting there would be tough in this state.

"I'm really sorry about this," Emily repeated. "It's better this way trust me. You don't want to stay here."

"It's okay. We understand." Calum nods. 

With those words, we started the long walk back to Emily’s

 


	36. Gotta Get Out

The four of us helped get Calum back to Emily's place. I was exhausted, I could sense that the ability to shift was impossible for me right now as I'd used too much energy and was injured too. So, we'd come back on foot, trampling back through the rain and mud. Emily had apologized profusely the entire way. I had no idea why she'd told us to leave but it seemed serious, it wasn't as if she was mad at us for fighting with Finn. It was as if she feared something happening to us if we remained.

We bailed into the car, packing everything of ours from the room and into the car in record time especially considering our injuries. Most of the marks had healed now, only a faint line remained where each had been. Michael was much the same. Calum however, still had a long way to go, the hunters' weapons had been laced with wolfbane and silver powder so they took a lot longer to heal than usual combined with the injuries from Finn. I'd been hit with one as well and it had been the one that had healed the least. At least he wasn't using Ashton and I as a crutch now which made me feel a little better. It didn't mean I wasn't still worried about him. Right now, he sat on the car seat simply watching us as we packed the gear in the back of the car, Emily had brought out some bandages and wrapped them around his chest where the worst of the injuries from Finn were.

Pip had balled her eyes out when Emily told her we were going and that Finn had left as well. She sat on the step watching us pack, a glum expression on her face. "We'll see them again someday." Emily had tried to console the young girl. "They just have to leave for now." While we waited for Michael to finish packing, Ashton and I had quickly put together a quick drawing for her. Our drawings were terrible but Pip seemed to be pleased by them. My heart ached for her, but Emily had meant it when she said we needed to leave.

Ashton jumped in the driver's seat, as he was the only one who could drive right now. Calum wasn't well enough to drive just yet. Neither Michael or I had our driver's licences' yet. To be fair I was on my L's but I needed an adult driver with me, a thing we were lacking now.

My heart thumped loudly in my chest as the car drove along the road towards the border. What would happen when we crossed it? If we were ambushed by the hunters with Calum in this state we'd be screwed for sure. Yeah, Michael could fight quite well and so could I if the situation called for it, but I didn't want to think of it right now. I just wanted to sleep this whole day off.

As we crossed what I knew to be the border, my eyes quickly whipped around the outside of the car checking for any evidence of hunters. When I was certain we were far enough over it. I settled back into the seat. I notice that Calum is eyeing me curiously and Michael has turned to glance at me from the front seat. They both look away when my eyes fall on them.

I sighed, now that we were out of Emily's treaty zone would anywhere ever be safe for us again?

No one says anything, and the car descends into silence. I focus on looking out the window; watching as the town disappears behind us. I wanted Finn, Emily, Pip and everything that had happened here to be as far out of my mind as possible.

"Where to next?" Ashton asks from the driver's seat, as we drive past the town's sign, "Shall I take the highway?"

"Highway." Michael says quickly, "We can travel a lot further in a short amount of time. There's more chance of us being spotted and reported to the hunters though."

"We don't need that right now, to be spotted I mean." I say from the back, I glance at Calum, "Let's take the back roads instead. Until we're all a lot better."

Calum nods at me, "I'm with Luke. It's going to take a while until I'm fully healed. Besides, we're not under any treaties now like we were on Emily's land. So, it might not be the quickest way but it's safer. Take the back roads Ash."

"We're going to get lost though." Michael protests.

"That's what a GPS is for." Ashton rolls his eyes, "Didn't Calum say there's one in the car?"

Calum nods, "Yeah, there should be one in the glovebox."

There's a lot of noise from the front seat and Michael emerges GPS in hand. He begins programming an address in I don't manage to see where. I sigh. It didn't really matter where we were headed if we were away from there.

As the GPS's robotic female voice starts up. I watch out the window for a while, focusing my eyesight so that I could make out the passing landscape. My eyes fall on the bright lights of a twenty-four-hour burger place. I feel my stomach rumble. I frown, with everything that had happened we'd never had dinner. Ashton drives on though. I guess food was the last of our problems right now. There's was no use stopping and getting ourselves in more danger.

We were only a few kilometres down the road when the rain had started again, it collects itself on the window covering my view. I sighed as I looked down, my escape gone. We were all still grubby, I wished we'd had enough time to have had a shower or at least cleaned up a little better before we left.

I hear the light sound of snoring from beside me and turn to see Calum's fast asleep on the other end of the back seat. He's still a little pale, so I guess he's still healing. Hopefully he's okay, we can't afford for him to be unwell for too long, especially with the full moon approaching.

I sighed, that was another problem. The plan had been to stay at Emily's but that wasn't an option now. It wasn't like we could stay in a hotel or find a big stretch of forest to spend the few hours. Either way we were bound to be found by the hunters. We'd think of something surely, we'd made it this far.

***********

"It's getting pretty late, we'll need to stop soon." I frown, noticing that the clock reads eleven thirty now as Ashton lets out a tired yawn. Calum was still fast asleep beside me, the bumps in the road not seeming to bother him.

Ashton nods, "Where? I'm not sure if there's any good camping spots around here."

"Can't we just stay in a hotel tonight? Calum looks like he's going to need a good night's sleep in that state." Michael frowns.

"The hunters might have left us while we were fighting but they could still be around. It isn't worth the risk." Calum shakes his head, his voice startling me slightly. Obviously, he'd woken up now. "I'm not that injured..."

Michael frowned, "I still think we should. I mean the hunters seemed to leave and I haven't seen anyone following us. They might be giving us a break."

Calum frowns, "I didn't think hunters gave werewolves they were pursuing breaks?"

Michael shrugged, "Sometimes, they do. I mean, think about what happened with us. They left you alone."

"Yes, but here we are how many years later being chased again?"

"That's what I'm saying Cal, years." Michael countered.

"He does have a point, Calum." Ashton nods from the front seat. "I'm sure we can afford to spend the night in a hotel."

"I'm not sure...I still think it's a bad idea." Calum frowned, "But you're driving Ash. It's your choice."

I sighed, I wasn't sure what was better as I could see both sides of it. All of us needed a good night's sleep after what had happened. However, we had all agreed early on that there was a high possibility once we used the credit card to check in somewhere that the hunters will have been following us and would find us before the night was over or prevent us from leaving. Was it worth the risk?

"Luke that's your phone." Calum mumbles.

I blinked, the main people who I'd expect to ring me these days were all sitting in the car with me. Besides it's so late for someone to call. I was almost surprised that it was still even charged. I pull the phone from my bag and glance at the name on the screen. My heart lurches at the caller’s name. No way.

I glanced at it hesitantly. Should I answer it? Maybe it would just send a message back to them telling them where we were? Had they noticed us cross the safe border? My mind whirled with the possibilities.

"Luke who is it?" Calum asked.

"My mum." I replied as I stared at the caller ID.

Calum sighed, "You better answer it then."

Calum's words were the last push I needed. I clicked the answer button before I hold the phone to my ear. I remain in silence.

"Luke is that you?" A voice chirps. The friendly tone surprising me.

"Yeah..." I say, quietly.

My words ended there if it really was my mum I had no idea what to say to her. I felt even more betrayed by her tonight. I was angry at Finn with how he'd dealt with it, but what had happened was terrible. Not all werewolves were kind, I'd been reminded of that lesson tonight with Finn. I knew that my parents were only doing what they thought was right and eliminating what they thought to be a threat, but it still hurt.

"Can I speak to the Alpha of your pack?" She asked, startling me from my thoughts.

"You mean Calum?"

"Yes."

I was hesitant, but Calum from beside me nodded. I passed him over the phone. I hear him chirp to her, trying to be polite. It reminded me so much of that night where I'd first found out that I was going to be werewolf, and he'd been the one to talk to my mum.

I'd barely known him then. Everything had been so new to me, all I'd known about him was a name, that he was a werewolf and that he'd spent all day hating me but had taken a sudden liking to me. It was weird to think how much everything had changed in such a short time.

I could faintly hear my mother still on the other end, but she wasn't loud enough for me to make out the full sentences. The only words I could hear her say were decision and hunters. Calum seemed to nod and agree every few words. I hoped that meant this was a good thing. I glanced at the front seat, Michael was turned watching us. Ashton had even pulled over and had turned back to look as well.

I heard the click as he shut the phone, and there was a moment of tension in the car, all eyes focused directly on Calum.

"So, what did she say?" Michael asked, a nervous look on his face.

Calum kept a straight face, "Well my mum talked it over with them.... the hunters I mean. About how we ran away and that we haven't been causing trouble for all this time. As well as the reasons of which I turned you guys. They know what happened with Luke in the comic store but are willing to look past it," Calum sighed, before a small smile appeared on his face. "As a result, we have a treaty with the hunters now."

Treaty? That was usually an agreement like Emily had with the hunters, right? Did that mean we had them on our side. Most of all did that mean one other important thing. My heart thumped loudly in my chest.

"Does that mean we can go home?" Michael asks from the passenger's seat, answering my next question just as it forms.

Calum nods, "Yes Mike it does."

"For real?" Ashton asked looking stunned.

Calum nodded, "For real."

"This isn't a trick, right?" Michael gasps, "Like you're seriously joking..."

Calum rolls his eyes, "Why do none of you guys believe me?"

"Look at you." Michael, points at Calum as if proving his point. It took me a moment but I worked out that he was gesturing to the fact that those injuries from tonight hadn't all been from Finn.

"You know if Cal’s right, maybe that's why the hunters went." Ashton frowned.

"It's possible." Michael nodded. "Someone probably made the call through to them so they left."

"Would've been nice before all of this, then we would’ve only had Finn to deal with." Calum sighs pointing to the two of us and our injuries.

"Did she say anything about me?" I wondered aloud.

Calum shook his head, "Sorry, she didn't Luke. You were hoping she'd say you could come back and live with them, right?"

I nodded, I couldn't lie about that. Even after what had happened and what I now knew, part of me still wanted my parents to accept me. But, at least this meant we were off the hunter's radar again, and the guys all looked so happy to be able to go home.

Part of me felt a little left out in all of that, as the three of them quickly contacted their parents to let them know what was happening. I sat in silence as that had happened. Calum had been the first to finish his phone call, most of it had just been him thanking his mum. He shot me a sympathetic glance, knowing I had no one to call with the good news.

"So now that were not being pursued by hunters, does that mean we can stay in a hotel tonight then Cal, because you look dreadful." Ashton frowns, when everyone was done. His phone call had been the longest.

Calum nods, "I guess it does."

Michaels already has Google up on his phone, I think he'd been hoping we’d decide to do that all night, "There's a place only ten kilometres from here, just off the freeway."

I look over the car seat spying an older style looking motor inn on the screen. The price was low though. It would do. I nodded. Calum and Ashton nodded as well. We'd be leaving early in the morning anyway to get back to Rosetta park so it didn't need to be fancy.

With our new plan settled, Ashton pulled back onto the road, getting us back onto the freeway. The GPS started up again with the new instructions.

"One more thing, guys. We have a meeting with them to discuss the conditions and such of the treaty. We're all going to have to be there." Everyone nodded, however Calum frowned, I noticed his eyes on me. "The only problem is that Luke's parents will be there…… Luke you'll be okay with that, right?"

I bit my lip, was I ready to see them again? On my own, no way. I looked around at the guys hopeful faces. We needed this, I couldn't let my fears get in the way of something that should make everything so much easier.

I nodded, "I think so. If you're all there with me I think I can do it."

"Good." Calum nodded, he looked a little relieved.

As Ashton pulled up at the motor inn and went to get us a room, my heart raced. I was excited that we were off the run but totally nervous about a meeting with my parents. Sure, the guys would be there, but last time I'd been in a meeting with them it didn't hold good memories. I hoped that this time would be different.

"Pillows! A shower!" Michael grinned, racing into the room quickly in front of us. "I bags first shower!"

The three of us stifled a laugh. Typical.

"Shouldn't it be Cal's?" Ashton questioned, as he opened the boot so that we could grab out our gear.

Michael froze halfway in the doorway. "What!?"

Calum laughed, as I helped him out the car, he made a shooing motion, "Go on ahead."

Michael gave a guilty look back but raced inside.

"The guy said we could order some Pizza, too. The place doesn't close for another hour." Ashton explained, turning back to Calum and me.

Michael's head popped back out, "Wait, did someone say Pizza?"

The three of us exchanged glances, "Geez, he heard that?”

“Later, hurry up.” Ashton smiled, shooing Michael back into the room.

I smiled, I was relieved to see everyone in such good spirits, but frightened of what the next day would bring. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, at this stage there's one more chapter to go!! ^^ 
> 
> Also, announcement time. I've decided that I'm going to be continuing this story in a second 'book'. I've had a little too much fun writing this and there was a lot of ideas I had that didn't make it into this one. At this stage it's going to be called 'The Moon Will Fall' (Another Tomorrow Never Dies ref... ^^) and I've decided to call them collectively the 'Moonlight' series so I'll probably use that name to talk about them...I'm pretty excited and will talk about it more when I post the next/last chapter.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	37. Ended Like A Bad Dream

An odd feeling came over me as I walked into the hunters' base. Thankfully, it was a different to the one we had been kept in, Michael had been here before apparently when he was eleven or twelve which somehow made me feel a little better. We'd been lead through the corridors to a small large windowed room that looked over a courtyard. I could see a group of hunters behind it, they had long pointed weapons and seemed to be training with them. There was a collective grimace among the four of us. The lady that showed us in frowned, moving to a wall where she pushed a button, causing a large shutter to fall over the window. The shutter closed, plunging the room into dimness; she instructed us to sit on the lounges, in front a of a large board room table that took up the centre of the room in front of the window.

' _You guys need to agree with everything I say, let me handle it and we'll get the best possible outcome.'_  Calum looked over at us.

Michael, Ashton and I exchanged glances but nodded.

Eventually my parents had walked in, my breath caught as I saw them. The last time I'd seen them hadn't been pleasant. It was hard to believe circumstances could be so different now. I didn't believe it, a horrible feeling sunk into my stomach. I wasn't sure I could face them. I shuffled in my seat wondering if it would jeopardise things if I made a run for it.

I felt a warm hand on mine, I blinked. I looked up as my eyes met with Michael's green ones as he smiled warmly. I focused on my breathing, the rest of the guys were here. I was safe. I tried telling myself that nothing bad was going to happen.

Calum stood up and greeted my parents warmly. He went as far as shaking their hands as if nothing was wrong. He introduced us as if I wasn't related to them. I guess for the fake names I'd used it was best to. They barely looked at me, which was somehow both a blessing and a curse. Were they that ashamed of me that they couldn't look me in the eyes anymore. It had to have hurt them that I'd continued to reject their offers to train to be a hunter whilst still staying loyal to Calum and the rest of the pack who I'd never met until a few months ago.

There was little fanfare as they made us discuss everything regarding the formation of our pack. They wanted to know especially how each of us had come into the pack. I could see them trying not to pull faces as we explained how Michael had left the hunters. I could see it in their eyes that they were disgusted of the thought of someone leaving for their werewolf friend. However, had lightened up when we explained how Michael had almost been killed by the hunters as a human. Ashton's was a little more complicated and they asked a lot more questions about that. They seemed to want to make sure that Calum had not turned Ashton just to grow the pack. Ashton made a big point that it had been his choice and if Ashton had not been about to die in that moment that Calum would've never done it.

None of us dare mentioned Sophie of course. If they knew Calum had been involved in someone's death than the treaty would be off for sure. The fact that he had the three of us was enough for them to handle, let alone a fourth that hadn't made it. Plus, unlike the rest of us there wasn't as certain a possibility that she would've died anyway without it.

When it came to my turn, I shrugged and said, "Don't you know already?"

"We want to hear it again," My mother frowned.

With the help of the guys we explained what had happened to me as well. Calum ended up taking over most of it though with his version of the story.

"We were out on a run, after school." Calum explained, "We were about to shift when we all heard the loudest scream. I raced ahead, sensing the presence of another wolf. Luke was petrified, he had no clue what to do as the wolf leaped onto him. We were too late to stop it entirely but I scared it away. Luke wasn't getting up though. I knew I'd met him earlier in the day, and we'd seen him at school. So, we went to make sure he was okay. Then I saw the bite." Calum paused.

My parents looked at him expectantly and I realised that he had done it for dramatic pause. He looked around at the rest of us.

"It was lethal, I'm sure you hunters know about that, if you are bitten by a werewolf while they are a wolf the bite is toxic. This one was massive, I didn't know what to think, I knew Luke would be dead within a few hours and no hospital would be able to get that much venom out in that little time."

My father nodded, I remembered that he had been in a similar position to myself but they had made it in time.

"An Alpha werewolves bite as a human has healing properties, as well as the power to make someone like us. It wasn't an easy decision but I decided to give Luke a shot." He smiled at me, "You have a wonderful son. I'm glad he didn't die in that clearing.... uh so I think that's about it."

My mum frowned at him, "Very well then."

Dad was a lot calmer though, he nodded at Calum and gave a small smile at me. A small sense of excitement grew in my chest, perhaps my dad at least didn't hate me so much after all.

"So, these are all your beta's Calum?" My mother asks, staring him right in the eyes, she seemed to want to move on from hearing about us now.

Calum nods.

"Excellent, anyone else you want us to make special allowances for?"

"Pip and Emily." I quickly say.

Calum glances at me, but nods. "Yes, if Pip and Emily ever come here they are to be granted the same allowances we have. They have a treaty with the hunters in their area if you're concerned about them."

"So, they do." She says, her eyes scanning another bit of paper, flipping over the note paper.

"Jayden and his three other pack members, as well as Sam." Calum continues.

My mother raised an eyebrow, "How many werewolves are you putting under this."

"You asked me which werewolves were to be covered by our treaty. This is all of them." Calum said, "None of them would hurt anyone. I promise you."

"But there's a lone Wolf on here." She frowned.

"Sam isn't going to be a problem." Calum said. "He's a good kid."

My mother frowned, but wrote his name down anyway. It seemed Calum was going to need to provide more information about them later, but names were clearly enough for now. As she put the pen down on the table.

"Now Calum's mother has said that she is to be responsible for the four of you and will report to us regularly or sooner if there's anything important we should be aware of." My mother continued.

Calum nodded, "We're fine with that."

"Any more questions?"

The four of us were silent. There didn't seem to be much more to ask. I bit my lip, I still had a question though one that had been burning at me since we'd first been told we could come back. It was ambitious and I knew it, but the words formed themselves on their own.

"Am I allowed to come home then...."

My mother glared down at me like I'd asked her to walk across hot coals. "We may have a treaty now Luke, but you're still a disgrace to our family."

I looked to my dad expecting him to say something, but he remained stoic faced. I backed down, I guess I couldn't have everything. Michael gave my hand a reassuring squeeze once more. I bit my lip holding back the tears that were threatening my eyelids. I couldn't let them see me crying, I couldn't let them win. They shouldn't have the satisfaction of that.

"Well if that's everything, then I think this meeting is over."

Calum thanked them, and the four of us left the room.

As we walked into the sunlight, my thoughts began to swirl regarding my parents and their continual disowning of me. I guess some part of me had remained hopeful that they still loved me, despite everything. Those words seemed to suggest there was nothing there for me anymore, it hurt. I glanced up at the blue sky and the clouds. They seemed to belong to somewhere else. Could this place still be my home?

"Luke?" A voice asked.

I blinked to find Ashton had paused, standing a step down on the staircase. I'd barely realized that I'd stopped and had spaced out.

He shot me a sympathetic glance, "It's about them, isn't it?"

I nod. "I kind of just thought they might still love me you know."

He sighs, "I'm sure they do Luke. This is just hard on them you know, you must represent everything they've been fighting against. They're just scared. It might take years, but they'll come around."

"You think so?" I ask.

Ashton nods, as he grabs my hand, forcing me to walk down another step. "It's alright, until the time comes you're just going to have to deal with the rest of us."

As to prove his point Calum and Michael call from the bottom of the stairs, "Come on you slowpokes."

I follow them, barely noticing my parents watching the four of us from the window of the building.

"Let's go get some milkshakes or something then go for a run. Or maybe we can go to the game centre, I bet Joe's missing me- or we could go- " Michael grinned.

"Whoa slow down Mikey, we can't do that all in one afternoon. We just made it back." Calum laughs. "It's the full moon tomorrow remember?"

"Damn your right." Michael frowned. "It's okay though, we're home and we're free again."

*********

**1 Month Later**

"I would've failed that history test if it weren't for you, Luke." Michael exclaims as he sits across from me at our new lunch table that overlooks the school oval. We'd lost our old spot from being gone for those few weeks. It was nicer being out of the quad though.

"Well if you'd studied some more, you wouldn't have had to have Luke tell you what the answers were during it." Calum sighs, as he joins us, taking the seat beside Michael.

I'd had to help Michael out in the history test we'd had last week, being able to speak telepathically to one another could be handy sometimes. We'd gotten our marks back today and we'd both done okay. It was kind of cheating and Calum was still a little bit against it, but we all had agreed that it was fine to do it if someone really needed the help. Trust me, Michael had needed the help. I wasn't even sure he'd turned up for half the classes for how much he knew.

It was so weird being back at school. To think that we could stay here now was incredible. I mean technically, I was still semi-homeless. The treaty didn't mean that my parents wanted me back living with them. We may have one, but I was still a disgrace to them regardless. At least I had been allowed to go back and move the rest of my stuff out. That had been awkward though, the guys and I had been like shadows. Allowed to come in, but not spoken to. I'd ended up dividing my stuff up between them, considering I was moving around between their houses for now it was fine. I'd stayed at all of them long enough to know what each of them had and what they didn't.

"Luke tell them what we found." Michael grins, as Ashton joins us at the table as well.

"Oh yeah, we found the best new spot, just north of we're we usually go." I said. "There was a whole lake and not a soul around."

"Next time you both have to come with us." Michael enthused.

"Awesome." Ashton nods. "Sounds great. How far did you two go out anyway?"

Michael and I grin, we'd run for quite a while. We had been quite far North of here. I'd been staying with him the past weekend and now that the forest was our own again, we'd ended up exploring. I was staying with Calum from tomorrow, and the full moon was coming up again on Friday.

"Wait, I've just got to drop this note off at the office. I'll be back." I say, leaving my seat. The others give me worried looks. They didn't like it when I took off alone these days, they all seemed to worry that something was going to happen. Even though we'd been back almost a month now.

"I'm just going to the office. It's fine." I pointed to the note, "This is just so everyone's parents can sign for me at school."

"Oh, okay. Do you want one of us to come with you?" Ashton asks.

I shake my head, "No, I'm fine. Thanks."

Leaving the others, I made the trip to the office in silence, I was glad to be finally doing this, it hadn't been easy to obtain. It had involved a quick meeting with my mother who had frowned at me but nodded as she'd wrote out the letter. She'd even made a cover, explaining that their continual trips out of town would mean that they weren't able to sign for me and I wasn't going to be living with them during this extended period. I wondered if they'd be moving towns again now that we had a treaty with them.

After that I'd had everyone else's parents sign it as well. Their signatures glared up at me from the page. I smiled, I guess I did still have parents after all, each of them gladly having signed for me. It was as if I was also part of their families now.

I handed the office lady my note, she gave me a surprised glance. "Be sure to let the school know if there's anything you need." She spoke in a soft motherly voice. I nodded, and started to walk away, when I heard a voice from behind me.

"Well, well the little Beta came back to school after all."

I froze, in recognition. Someone who called me Beta knew what I was, or at the very least knew that they were talking to me. I turned around to face the boy who was standing at the top of the staircase, a giant smirk all over his face.

"What are you here for, Finn?" I growled. Noticing that he was carrying an almost identical school uniform to myself. I hadn't seen him here before, my eyes scanned the yellow folder in his hand. He was a new enrolment. I took a step backwards.

"Ah, I just thought that I would enrol myself back in school again, y'know I dropped out myself. I thought it might be a good chance to get reacquainted with the education system."

I wasn't buying it. It sounded like a good chance to continue to wear Calum and the rest of us down. He was in the same grade as us, it would make sense.

"Yeah right, you're here for Calum, aren't you?" I growled.

He shrugged, "What are you going to do about it? I'm not scared of a couple of little wolves."

We're the same age. I wanted to scream at him, but I didn't say it. He'd been a werewolf much longer than myself, so I was in no place to argue.

"Finn, what the hell? Don't you have somewhere else to be? We've done nothing to you." I say, though regret it slightly Michael, Ashton and I had lashed out at him for what he did to Calum back at Emily's. To be fair, looking back I felt like our pack instinct to protect one another had kind of taken over.

"It's not just something that you've done," he says, "It's what you are."

I blink, what we are? We were both werewolves so what difference would that make? I look back at him in confusion, I open and close my mouth but no words come out.

"Humph. Doesn't even know that. I suppose you are the little pup and the hunter's boy too. Maybe your Alpha might know." He lets out a sigh, and walks down the stairs, being sure to bump my shoulder on the way out.

 _'Finn's here, he's enrolled and everything.'_  I quickly think to Calum.

_'What the hell? What's he doing here. Luke get the out of there, you're not talking to him by yourself.'_

"Calum knows your here now." I say, wanting to make sure he was aware of that.

Finn paused, and turned back to look at me. "Good." He spoke seemingly unfazed, "Don't get too comfortable little wolf, you won't be back here long."

"Neither will you, you're not covered under our treaty with the hunters. They'll find you, we'll make sure of it."

"Don't be so sure." He spoke, I felt a searing pain on the skin of my right arm. I looked to my arm, and I saw Finn standing there. Claws retracted. He grinned.

"You get your filthy claws away from him." A voice growled, a look of genuine fear came over Finn for a moment. I turned to see Calum standing there with Michael and Ashton standing behind him.

Finn backtracked, he stepped away. Leaving out the other door of the office.

"Luke, are you okay?" Calum asked, examining my arm which was swollen and bleeding now.

"I can't believe he's been here not even five minutes and he's already tried to hurt one of us." Michael frowned, "Didn't he work out, he's hopeless on his own. It's useless trying to take someone else's pack."

"He said something to me that I found a little odd, that he was here because of what we are."

I noticed Calum paled slightly but he didn't seem to offer anything else.

Michael sighed, "I guess things aren't over with him then?"

Calum shook his head, "Until Finn's gone I don't think they ever will...."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be continued, in the next book. ^^
> 
> They were originally going to one story but it ended up being too long when I started planning it out, so now it's going to be at least two. So, will be posting the second story in the Moonlight series; 'The Moon Will Fall'. I'm hoping to post it within the next week. So, look out for it!
> 
> Thank you so much for anyone that has read this! Especially those who have left Kudos, commented etc. Your support means a lot!


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